A Thousand Shades of Gray
by cimple
Summary: Slade's back and this time he has the perfect plan to ensure his little apprentice will stay loyal to the end. The Elixir is the perfect cure for Robin's stubborn attitude. Only thing is, Red X captured the wrong Titan ... whoops ...
1. The Shade of Saints

**Summary: **_Slade's back and this time he has the perfect plan to ensure that his little apprentice will stay loyal to the end. The Elixir is the perfect cure for any stubborn minds that will not serve him willingly. It disconnects its subject from reality, and altogether causes them to loose everything and anything they were before taking the Elixir to become an empty shell. The perfect soldier to train to become the perfect killer … it's either that, or the subject will fall into madness._

_The Elixir was only tested for human mind control …_

_Originally planned to be given to Robin, Red X screwed up and things change drastically, for the thief had made a grave mistake in capturing a half-bred demon girl, known as Raven. From there, everything goes down hill, from the explosion of Slade's hide out to suddenly being forced to take care of the chemically pumped half-demon! X finds that that his only hope of getting the Titan off his back for good – and to get the conscious out of the back of his mind for life – is to find the antidote to get her back into stable condition._

_However … as funny as this may sound, Raven doesn't seem to be getting any better._

_In fact … she seems to be getting a whole lot worse!_

_It doesn't help that she's kept from seeing her friends because they all think she's dead._

_So it's only fair for her to wonder if X really is doing this to help her … or if he has _**other**_ things in mind._

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Saints+**

"_Pity and infamy,_

_Ignorance as your pull._

_Don't let yourself become,_

_The Unforgivable."_

_- Unknown_

**((--Museum of Ancient Mysteries--))**

"What have you got Cyborg?" Robin asked hopefully.

The hybrid sighed and shook his head, "A whole lot of nothing … whoever did this has got to be done in the magic department if they're brave enough to snatch an item in the middle of **daylight.**"

Both looked to Raven for any explanation, the dark sorceress blinked, "From the moment we got within a 100 feet of the establishment to the point where I stand now there was nothing I could sense nor could I read. This was done purely by man power. Or machine."

Robin growled and glared at the podium on which the stolen item once rested a priceless pendant. The Pendant of Infinity, a beautiful gold chain necklace with diamond cuts and a breathtaking ruby the size of a fist resting in the center. Priceless, shiny, and oh-so attractive for the apparent thief that had no problems stealing it in middle of daylight where the museum was it's fullest. A rather disturbing piece of information Robin figured as he looked up when Beast Boy suddenly spoke up.

"Dudes I'm telling ya man, it's the mutant ninjas coming to make sure their treasure is safe!" Beast Boy blurted and Robin rolled his eyes walking away to stand next to Cyborg and Raven letting Starfire and Beast Boy converse about the _"mutant ninjas"_.

With Robin being Robin he ordered, "Cyborg look up if anything from either Logan Industries or Wayne Enterprises was taken currently."

Cyborg raised a brow, "Why man?"

"Just do it and I'll explain afterwards."

With a shrug Cyborg began to look up for anything suspicious and sure enough he found something, "Yeah … Wayne Enterprises was broken into just last night. Something called a holo-flashback was taken."

"Damn," Robin cursed and shook his head, "I hoped not."

Now it was Raven's turn to raise a brow, "Robin … if a _"holo-flashback"_ means anything like a projection of false security please fill us in."

"It is …" Robin looked around, "a small device no bigger then your thumb nail that copies a full room, then when scanning is complete and placed in the right angle can project the emptied room to be exactly that … empty."

The dots were connected and Cyborg jerked his head back, "Whoa … something like that actually exists? Man … if that's true … then all the guy needs to do is hack into the cameras and shut down security for a 5 minute window … less if you count the changing of the guards cause the report of the stolen artifact was 2 hours ago right?"

Raven nodded, "Just 3 minutes after the new shift started … the thief could have gotten anywhere with less than 2 hours … probably headed towards the city's limits if he's smart enough."

Robin growled again and spun on his heel, headed to the security room, "Don't encourage it … if Joe-Shmoe thinks he can get away with this in our city, he's dead wrong."

Cyborg sighed, "Here we go again."

Raven sneered and flicked her wrist in dismissal, "Let him go, Robin has to learn on his own that patience is a virtue … why do you think Slade keeps hammering him."

Cyborg turned to give Raven a defensive look for his buddy, but when he looked around he saw that she was staring at the spot the pendant was kept. Well more likely reading what the information box said. Tempted to just go over and get it straight that Robin works hard to capture Slade to ensure everyone's safety, Cyborg thought better, it wasn't worth the effort or the trouble.

So saving it for later Cyborg sighed again and followed after Robin to help speed up the investigation. All the while Raven glanced down and glared at the text within the box trying to understand why someone would steal this particular pendant when there were plenty more priceless jewels to be stole within the museum. To be perfectly honest the sorceress just didn't know what to make of thieves.

She knew – even if Robin preached differently – that there were some thieves out there that actually had a conscious and a moral outlook on life, if not slightly twisted and bent in their own dark deluded way. Raven knew there were good people with questionable backgrounds, but what she didn't know – or rather didn't understand – was their thought process. What gives them – the people who go about doing wrong – a reason to justify their actions?

Like … Jinx … or Red X ...

Maybe not so much Jinx since she switched sides, but Red X … what made him –

Cyborg sucked Raven back into reality, "Hey, Rae, time to split, let's go girl. Robin picked up a lead from the Chief of Police."

_The Chief of Police …? _Raven skeptically raised a brow, but obediently followed after the rest of her teammates nonetheless. Entering the T-car riding shot-gun since Robin brought his bike, the Teen Titans as a team headed for downtown where the Police Station was held. While on the way Raven's curiosity got the better of her, "What do we got from the Police?"

Cyborg shrugged, "Apparently, Inspector Chris might know who our mystery thief is … if not the exact person, then the person who might be buying it off the black-market."

Raven nodded finally understanding what was going on, by the time they reached the station – the station wasn't far from the museum anyway and traffic was light. Which gave room for Robin and Cyborg to actually speed through the crammed streets of Jump City, and with no time at all they were parked in front. Robin leading the way up the steps and the rest of his team close behind, they all walked up to the front desk of the station and Robin demanded the directions to the chief of police's office.

The police officer seeing who they were nodded them towards the hall and directed them to the office that read in dull gold letters **Chief of Police.** Yep, if that isn't blunt enough Raven didn't know what was and waited out in the hall as Robin knocked on the door, "Chief."

"_What do you want?"_ a very unpleasant voice sounded from inside the room.

Robin calmly informed him who he was, "It's the Teen Titans, you called us up about some information you might have on the stolen Pendant down at the Museum 16 blocks from here."

Silence on the other side, a bit of shuffling and if they listened close enough a bit of grumbling to as the Chief opened the door and ushered them in. A man in his mid-40s a bit gray from all the stress work of being an officer, hard dark brown eyes and wrinkled skin from the times, he took his seat behind his desk and offered what little room he had. Sighing he eyed the group of teenagers with a bit of skepticism and scoffed, "Teenagers … what do you kids know about the criminal world huh?"

"A lot more than you think," Robin defended against the critiquing eyes of the chief, glaring at him with his cold white mask, "sir, it's within my understanding that you hold something of value to us to track down this thief **and **the pendant he stole."

The man flicked his wrist and dismissed the thought, "Taken care of, he's all ready in custody, got busted for a broken tail light a few blocks from here. Found that the ride he was in was reported stolen."

Robin jerked his head back, perplexed, even Raven raised a brow in question as Starfire leaned closer to the chief and asked innocently, "Excuse me sir, but it is my understanding that you have already apprehended this criminal correct?"

The chief shrugged, "That's what I just said."

"Then why call us?" Beast Boy chimed.

"Because …" the man scowled and leaned on his desk closer to the Titans, giving them each and every one hard looks, reaching into his drawer he pulled something out and tossed it across the table for all to see. Starfire gasped and brought a hand up to her mouth in a futile effort to silence her shock. Beast Boy's mouth fell open right along side Cyborg's and Robin's brow furrowed. Obviously getting angrier and far more confused by the second, Raven, being the least surprised out of the four actually reached out to the mask to check it's authenticity as the chief explained, "It was found tossed in the trunk of an illegally tuned vehicle."

White … black outlines where the eye slits were … and the unmistakable red X crossing over the right eye. It struck uncertainty in most of the Titans hearts and disbelief in at least two of them, disbelief because these two doubted that Red X could have been taken down so carelessly. If it was one thing Robin knew first hand, and Raven observed from the distance was Red X wasn't careless. He was arrogant, cocky, and overbearing … not an amateur.

"Illegally tuned?" Starfire raised a brow in confusion taking her eyes off the item within Raven's hand as she turned it flipped it and eyeballed it as close as she could with Robin hovering over her shoulder.

Cyborg explained in the language she might understand, "It's a car that's been tricked out, you know pumped up with highly explosive chemicals that'll make the car take off in a flat second and leave factory made cars in the dust if the driver can handle the power. But illegally means that all the parts on the thing might have been stolen."

"Oh …" Starfire nodded then asked, "So … does that mean … it's a sort of … race car?"

"Street racer," Robin informed as he took the item from Raven, "possibly a dragger …"

"… What's a drag –"

"Straight race from point A to point B see who gets to point B the fastest." Robin again informed as he looked up at the chief, "Where is he? You put him in a level 4 containment cell I hope."

The chief sneered, "I'm not stupid kid. After we searched his car and found that, I practically saw what he did to my men, it took at least five of us to hold that little bugger down, 7 if you count the two officers that were pointing guns to his head to get him to chill."

"Can we see him?" Robin more demanded than asked as he handed the mask back to Raven.

"Sure you can," the chief got up form his chair and lead the group towards the exit, "he's the one who called you guys here anyway."

That made the Titans stop and look at one another.

Robin shook his head and followed after the chief the rest of his team in tow, Raven pulling up the rear, pulling her hood up and floating an inch off the ground in thought. Not really liking how this was going, she felt like they – her and her team – were being set up into a trap somehow. An uneasy feeling and it only grew darker and darker as they arrived at the section of the holding cells where the level fours were kept on tight lockdown. Gray walls, gloomy as hell – pun intended – the Titans were lead to a bright white room split in half by a clear glass and as usual a two-way mirror on one side of the room.

The chief stood with them, but Robin interjected, "Um, sir, if you don't mind … is it okay if there's no surveillance of your men on this."

The chief narrowed his eyes suspiciously on Robin; of course he never knew that Robin **used** to be the one in the Red X suite before this Red X, but with that suspicious look on the chief's face caused Robin to sort of shuffle uncomfortably. Raven bit down on her lower lip discreetly and stayed in the near back of the room while the chief sighed and shrugged, "Whatever."

He gestured to the windows to send in the prisoner and to clear out of the mirror as he did the chief exited the room, but not without turning around and informing the crew, "By the way … in his files we found out that he goes by the name of Jax … Jax San Nicolas."

Beast Boy raised a skeptical brow, "Jax …? With an x?"

"Sounds fake …" Robin said with a deep scowl on his face.

"Actually it's quite real," all the Titans turned to look on the other side of the glass to see the man behind the mask with the vibrant drop dead gorgeous jade green eyes. Rare, jade-green eyes for a possibly 18 year old mastermind thief, charming looks – **_very _**charming – not at all what Starfire or the rest of her team had expected. In fact, he looked good enough to be considered a Hollywood star with that spiky hairstyle of his. Although, just like everyone expected though, was the unmistakable grin he had on his face, that grin all the Titans imagined was behind the mask. Arrogant, self-centered, cocky, conceded, overbearing, and egotistical, he winked at Starfire and chuckled, "Hey cutie, nice seein' you again."

Robin step in between X's view of Starfire and stood up close to the glass, growling, "Even behind bars you still can't grasp the seriousness of the situation."

X tilted his head, "Technically, kid, its glass … bulletproof too … with the right tools I can shatter it in a second."

"I'd like to see you MacGyver that trick."

"Let me out of this little play-pin and I can teach you a little something that might improve your dark side a little more," he chuckled and it sent a shiver down Starfire's spine, he sounded so promising and devious … but at the same time … awfully inviting. Cyborg and Beast Boy glanced at one another, unsure where this was going as Robin clenched his hands into tight fists. X smirked, "that's the only reason why Slade never believed your act … you're literally too good for it."

Robin took a step closer to X, who equally squared off with him close to the glass, "What would you know about Slade …"

X laughed quietly, but loud enough and soft enough for the rest of the Titans to hear as he whispered, "A lot more than you think Boy-Wonder … I mean … he **_was _**the one that paid me to get him the Pendant of Infinity."

That spiked interest and Raven came closer, "What did he want with it?"

"Wouldn't you like to know … ah-hah!" X laughed and turned his back on the Titans.

Robin, out of frustration rushed the glass and banged his fist on it, "You son of a bitch! You think everything is a goddamned game!"

"Yo! Robin! Chill man!" Cyborg came up behind him and put a hand on his friend's should to calm him down.

While X looked over his shoulder and snorted, "You got a temper on you … better get it checked or I'm gonna bounce right outta here and you'll never get the chance to see the man behind the mask."

That made Robin narrow his eyes in suspicion, "What …"

"For all my natural life, I've never stuttered kid," he turned to face them once more and crossed his arms over his chest with an almost devilish look on his charming face, "oh … have I gotten your attention? Great! Now let's get down to business shall we?"

"Hold the damn phone." Cyborg glared, not liking how this character was playing them for a fool, "What business … why'd you call us here … what's going on exactly!"

"Get real Cy," X sneered, "I'm Red X … did you really think I'd allow these Showtime Cops to seriously take me down this easily? You give me too little credit!"

"And you talk too much for a thief," Cyborg growled, "What is it you really want?"

"To help you, is it so hard to believe?" Cyborg shot him a dry look, and X scoffed, "Alright, so I've been a bit out of line here and there … but I've made up for it."

"How so?" All heads turned to the girl in the back of the room, the dark sorceress with her face mostly hidden from the white brightly lit room under her hood, she looked up and her violet eyes held X frozen in place, "So you've stopped a crazed scientist from destroying the city … saved Robin the trouble of going against an entire fleet of villains just to help him protect a secret … what gives you any right to bait us with this kind of information and actually expect us to bite. We don't even know if you're who you say you are. You could just be a poser."

X's nonchalant face fell flat for a moment, before picking him a twisted gleam in his jaded eyes as he addressed Raven directly. Gesturing her with a finger to step closer, Raven – at first – didn't budge, seeing no point in playing the criminal's little game. However, that gleam, it sent an unnerving chill down her spine and out of pure curiosity she walked up to the glass. Where X leaned against it as if wanting to whisper in her ear as he said in a soft enough tone for only her to hear, "If I'm such a faker … then how would I know that you wake up screaming in the middle of the night after having a rerun of a nightmare about your demonic father."

Raven's mouth fell open in shock, her impenetrable wall that shielded the windows to her soul shattered and suddenly she felt so exposed. Staring at X with renewed hatred, she gritted her teeth and tried so desperately hard not to lose control of her powers, "You hacked into the Tower's database …"

"You got that right … just after I stole the suit too," X winked and his grin reappeared, "have I passed you little test yet, sunshine."

"… What do you know about Slade …" Raven asked.

X backed away from the window to get a better look at the rest of the team, "Well … I'll tell you this much kiddies, Slade's a blue-blood, meaning even the police can't touch him with the amount of money he has on his hands and the only way to get close to him is the go undercover."

"I tried that already," Robin argued, "he saw right through me."

"Well, that was you and that explains that screw up of a job. Look … I know I'm not the most trustworthy of guys out there, and frankly I don't give a shit, but face it … right now, I think I'm the only chance you got at taking this guy out … so what's the plan man?"

"We'll think about it …" Robin nearly threw up at the mention of even working with X, but X couldn't have had an even bigger grin, especially when Robin turned his back and headed for the exit as fast as he could.

Unable to even look the thief in his jaded eyes, X found that he wasn't done with him yet, "Oh … yeah … and by the way … I'm going to need a partner … cuz' this'll be an undercover operation and one of you is going to have to be doing exactly as I says. Looking forward to working with ya Rob."

_**SLAM!**_

Robin walked out, leaving the rest of his team to storm out after him, Starfire trailed behind and glanced over her shoulder to X who was already being taken back into custody of the police. X caught her eye and he winked, Starfire shuttered and quickly caught up to her friends. Feeling completely unnerved about this whole ordeal.

**((--Titan Tower--))**

"Easy Rob, breath, just sit down and breath …" Cyborg ordered as Robin paced the Ops Room vigorously, glaring at the ground, steam coming out of his ears and nose. Looking ready to tear the first villain that wanted to screw with him apart, with gritted teeth and tightly clenched fists, Cyborg shook his head, starting to give up on his temperamental friend, "… I don't know man … this seems sketchy … I don't like it."

"Red X is a sketchy character," Raven chimed standing at the bay window looking out to the city with her arms folded over her chest, shrugging she sighed, trying to hide the fact that she was just as pissed as Robin was about Red X, "you can't make heads or tails of him."

"Sooo …" Beast Boy, hanging over the edge of the couch looked around at his teammates, "what's the plan of action? Take him up on his offer … cuz' I think he's the real deal."

Robin stopped to glare harshly at Beast Boy, "He claims to know who Slade really is Beast Boy! That's already a far fetched story!"

"Maybe," Starfire defended Beast Boy against Robin's wrath, "but Jax is not one of our kind … he works around … how you say? The Underground? He could know more about these kinds of things than we do."

Raven sneered, "Starfire, there is no chance that Red X can know about Slade … and even if he does, how do we know he's not working **_with _**Slade to lure us into a trap? Might I remind you what trust got us into the last time?"

"This is different," Starfire argued, "Terra was a mistake that I'm sure we all forgave her for her misdirection, in this case, Jax is actually offering us a chance to find Slade … he's not asking for our trust, he's asking for our participation."

Raven rolled her eyes and returned to staring out the window leaving the rest of the discussion to her teammates. Cyborg took the floor, "Alright, let's put that aside for now and think about this one question … is going after Slade worth the gamble of working with a criminal?"

"No." Robin immediately apposed.

Starfire apposed him, "But what choice do we have?"

"We need proof that he was working with Slade Star! We can't just throw an unfinished boat into the damn water and expect it to float!"

"Please do not swear at me Robin," Starfire pointed out as she continued her argument, "And as I recall, I do not remember **you **thinking properly about a way to go around capturing Slade the last time."

"You know why I did that."

"Now I do, but it hurts when you mention nothing of your plans and still go about doing it without any reassurance that it'll work. You not only nearly coast us your life, but ours as well. You might be opposed to working with Jax on a personal note, but I suspect that it is the best chance we have at finally bringing in our most dangerous criminal. As the saying is on Earth: Fight fire with fire."

Quietly, almost unheard, Raven in the corner added, "Play with fire … and you **_will _**get burned."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…"

Robin huffed and in frustration ran his hands through his spiky hair, hating the predicament that he was in he looked among his friends, his teammates and dejectedly he mumbled, "Fine … but he said he needed a partner … to go undercover. I'm out."

Beast Boy jerked his head back in shock, "Dude … but, this is Slade! I thought you'd be like the first on the bandwagon!"

"Slade knows me … that's how he caught me in the suit the last time."

"Shoots," Beast Boy jumped to his feet enthusiastically, "I'll do it! Undercover BB at your –"

"**No."**

Shot down by his entire team, Beast Boy plopped back down on the couch and pouted, "Fine."

Cyborg sighed, "I'm out, I'm too conspicuous … and no offence Star, I don't think you can lie."

"It's perfectly fine," Starfire smiled brightly, "I'm not very good at acting I supposed … but I think that just leaves you … friend Raven."

Raven scowled, "Out of the question. Slade knows me as well as Robin, it's too risky."

"No he doesn't," Beast Boy argued, "Slade was just after you because your dad told him to fetch you. I don't think he technically knows you as well as Robin … with Robin … well … he was virtually a stalker."

"Big words for such a small brain," Raven sneered, "would you like some ice too cool off your head before it over heats."

"Ha, ha, very funny," Beast Boy snorted, "but I don't think the Ice Queen's willing to share her ice, your **_majesty."_**

"Ooo, he has snappy comebacks, would you like some lasagna as a reward, **_Garfield?"_**

Before Beast Boy could comeback again Robin interrupted, "Enough, it's settled, Raven, I'm sorry, but you're the only legitimate choice we have for you to go on this assignment –"

"Find someone else," Raven snapped while walking off the bay window heading for the door that'll lead her to her room, "I'm not working anywhere **_near_** that criminal. It's better if we have someone that doesn't know him or Slade anyway."

"Wrong, Raven," Robin cut in front of her, to stop her advance, keeping his white mask on her violet eyes to make sure she got the point that this was a done deal, no argument case, "we need someone that knows X's tricks so they'll know what to expect if this turns out to be a scam. You're perfect for the position."

Raven walked up in Robin's face and pointed him in the chest, "Never … **_never _**in this … or any other **_lifetime_** will you see me with **_that _**creature."

With that … she walked around Robin and vanished behind the sliding doors out of sight from her friends.

Beast Boy scoffed, "Forget about her Robin, hey! Let's call up Titans East and see if they can help!"

**((--Later that Night--))**

**((--Interrogation Chamber--))**

"… So where's the rest of your squad? Decided to go on your own kid?" Robin gritted his teeth and looked away from Red X's arrogant jade-green eyes, glaring at the white ground. The usually composed leader turned away and began to pace the room, X watched him closely smirking like the cocky thief he was he chuckled and was about to open his mouth.

However the door nearest Robin opened and in walked the last Titan he had in mind. Not even in uniform, but dressed in a plain dark green shirt that had a hood on it, tight to flaunt her surprisingly curvy features. Low-rider black jeans and steel-toed black boots, she looked no more happy to be here than in a damn funeral. Standing next to Robin, she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him … not X, Robin.

If only looks could kill Robin would be nothing but ash right about now. Robin even looked away from her and tilted his head in X's direction, his mask giving the impression that he was looking at him, but X knew, he still couldn't hold their gazes. Especially with that scowl on his face, "Whatever you do, X, goes through Raven … whatever she doesn't feel is right or necessary for this assignment it doesn't happen. Got it."

"…" X thought about it for a moment, glanced over at Raven who kept her arms crossed over her chest moving her glare from her leader to him. He chuckled and shrugged nonchalantly, "I can deal with that … a shame it won't be you going on this little fieldtrip, I could use the entertainment."

No response, but it was quite apparent that Robin had really wanted to say something, however trying to keep this strictly professional, Robin kept quiet and with Raven the two walked out of the room. X walked towards his exit and waited for his release. Robin and Raven, waiting outside of the station, Robin sitting on the steps while Raven leaned against the rails, both of them looking out to the surprisingly quiet streets with one car passing by here and there.

Robin glanced over at his teammate and got to his feet, "Raven …"

"I'm going through with it already Robin, **don't **try to give me an ultimatum …" Raven turned to narrow her violet eyes on him, resenting him wanting so badly to rebel for her own selfish needs. Although, however cynical Raven may appear … being selfish was not one of her strong points – surprisingly – she thought more of others than she did of herself. Henceforth the reason why she was angry with Robin, he knew no matter how much she protested, if he put everything into words just right, she can break … and she did, "… you know this is what you want."

"Raven, I want what's best for the team –"

"Just keep telling yourself that," Raven snorted and turned away from him, "you might just believe it, we both know how self righteous you can be."

"Could you give me a minute to try and explain!" Robin grunted and muttered a few curses to himself. Raven raised a brow and looked over her shoulder, a sign for Robin that he was on the clock to start talking, "Look … I know this might not be the best of decisions … but right now it's an opportunity that we can't pass up. Come on Raven, you have to agree with me on **_that _**at **_least._**"

"Robin …" Raven huffed and flipped her hair away from her face, "… just make sure Beast Boy doesn't go anywhere **near **my room while I'm away … **_that's _**the **_least _**you can do."

She still disagreed with him.

Robin didn't like this, they were leaving each other on shaky grounds as friends, he didn't know what it was that made him feel uneasy, but that gut wrenching feeling was there. It only got worse when the doors to the Police Station opened and out walked X, dressed in plain civilian clothes consisting of a larger gray hooded jacket, a black wife-beater under it, dark blue jeans, and Timberland steel-toed boots. He grinned at the both of them and wrapped his arms over each of their shoulders, completely catching even Raven off guard as he sucked in a deep breath and sighed happily, "Ah, nothing like the sweet smell of freedom … I love you guys."

Robin shoved him away, "Get off me."

Raven slipped form his grasp and kicked him down the steps of the Police Station, scowling, eyes coming close to glowing a deep scarlet. Her anger only grew when X's cocky attitude showed as he controlled his flight down the stairs and flipped onto the sidewalk. Holding his arms out he gracefully bowed and grinned, Raven turned to Robin and pointed at him promising death as she growled low in a dangerous tone, "You owe me."

"Let's hit the road already sunshine," X at the bottom of the stairs with his hands propped up behind his head gestured down the street, "we gotta hit up a few places to get you set up for our little mission and if you wanna do this right, we gotta do this thing tonight."

Raven scowled and walked down the stairs, "Well, aren't you the poet."

X snickered his jaded eyes strangely glowing under the near by street light, giving him that enigmatic edge, "Didn't even know it."

Raven rolled her eyes and ignored him and looked up to Robin as X pulled something out of his pocket and pressed the red button on some kind of device. Yet, instead of anything going up in smoke, a loud roar tore up the streets shattering the peaceful silence. In a fraction of a second the X-bike was right next to its rightful owner. Raven and Robin both blinked in shock, but Robin more so in suspicion, glancing down the road it came from, he frowned. Suddenly not liking this idea, he bit down on his lower lip and dismissed it as paranoia, knowing already that he could trust Raven he nodded as she stepped up to X's bike.

"See ya later Rae."

Raven nodded and climbed aboard the bike – no matter how much her stomach protested to be so close to X she waved and hesitantly wrapped her arms around his waist. Robin fisted his hands, for some reason the sight made him sick to his stomach and X knew it with that mischievous grin on his face, "Don't worry about your girl kid, I grow on people."

And like that … with the rev of his bike waking up the entire neighborhood Raven and X were gone … tearing up the street as X zoomed out of sight. Leaving Robin all alone to contemplate if he really did believe the things he'd often tell himself.

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: Nope, I own nothing … not even that poem, I found it somewhere, but I just can't seem to find who the writer is. Too bad, that's only the ending of the poem too, it's actually really good.**

**A/N: Heh, would you look at that … another story … let's see if I can keep it up. Reviews would be nice so I can see if it's worth continuing or not. Tell me what you think, I love your feedbacks, I really do.**

**L8er daez!**


	2. The Shade of Sinners

**-A Thousand Shades of Gray-**

**+The Shade of Sinners+**

"_They say there's a heaven, for those who wait_

_Some say it's better, but I say it ain't_

_I'd rather laugh with the sinners, than to die with the saints_

_The sinners are much more fun, and only the good die young …"_

_-Unknown_

"Where are we …?" Raven raised a brow as X came to a stop in front of an apartment building and without any fear at all he turned off the bike and walked up to the entrance. Glancing over his shoulder to Raven, the sorceress had to take a double take on the thief when he eyed her seriously … **dead **serious.

With a jerk of his head he gestured for her to follow, "Let's go, we're already late."

"Wha …" her question couldn't even come to words as she dismounted the bike, and hesitantly followed the thief, observing the cracked and decaying walls of the most unfortunate urban homes. She gulped uneasily when she followed X not up the stairs to avoid the group of young and old men posted against the walls at the hallway, but **through **them. Feeling their eyes undressing her and shuttering at such negative energy that hovered over the group, she walked a bit faster to catch up with X. Keeping a straight face, but unnerved out of her mind being in such an environment, she gasped softly when one of the men stepped in front of her and leaned down to come eye to eye with her.

Showing her his glazed over look … he must have been on **something **with that void expression on his face, "Well, well, not too often do we see such a sight like you in a place like this at such a late night … where you come from girl?"

Raven narrowed her eyes and shoved the stoned out man out of her way, "Move it."

"Ooo, she fights, I like that …" the man grabbed her elbow and pulled her back, Raven gritted her teeth, _So much for not attracting attention … _without warning she turned around and slammed a fist in the man's face.

Not only throwing him off her, but against the wall, he slummed to the ground, knocked out cold and the rest of his friends all eyed her with disbelief. Raven smoothed back her hair and straightened up her shirt, glaring at the men in the hall she growled, "Touch me again, I **_dare _**you."

"Hey! Sunshine!" down the hall X sneered, and Raven turned around to glare at him in utter annoyance as he shrugged, "What the fucks the hold up? Pop the clutch and kick it in gear let's go!"

Raven growled and stomped up to him, following after him she commented, "I would have been right behind you if your **_friends _**hadn't have stopped me."

"Whatever," he mumbled and turned the corner, Raven close behind him nearly ran into him as he turned into an opened door, a room cluttered in mess, and hot. Raven stayed posted at the door while X navigated nimbly through the messy room, headed for the hallway to the right, Raven braced for whatever would happen next as he shouted from the end of that hallway, "Otto! Where's my bag!"

Raven blinked and raised a brow when she heard grumbling coming from the hall. A slurred response that not even X heard as he shouted again, "Otto! I'm not playing with you! Where's my –"

"I **SAID!** IT'S UNDER THE GODDAMNED TABLE YA NAGGIN' LITTLE BITCH!" Raven cleared her throat finding it funny how X jerked his head back as if shocked at the insult.

"That's not what your sister said!" X shouted back and muttered to himself as he once again navigated through the mess and looked around for the table this Otto was talking about. Raven didn't know what was going on, but as she scanned the room there was no table. However, X obviously must have been here before because in a matter of minutes he was in what she guessed was supposed to be a kitchen and looking under the found table. Pulling out a black duffle bag he headed in her direction, handed her the bag and jumped out into the hall, screaming back into the room, "OTTO! LAST WARNING; GET YOUR LAZY ASS OUTTA HERE! YOU'RE TAPPED!"

"_**WHAT!"**_

_**SLAM!**_

Raven backed up when X slammed the door shut and then followed him even further down the hall to another door, but this one was a public bathroom and Raven didn't have a good feeling about this when X gave her the duffle bag. Leaning against the wall near the door he smirked confidently and gestured to the bathroom, "Everything goes sunshine … but I gotta warn ya, I thought Boy-Wonder was gonna be taggin' along, never thought he'd send you."

"Wait," Raven glared at the duffle bag, then looked up at the grinning thief, "what are you trying to pull?"

"A fast one …" X chuckled and opened the door for her, pushing her in gently he snickered, "just let it ride and let me do all the work, all you gotta do is sit there and look pretty. No, seriously, just look pretty."

"Wha –" he closed the door on her and Raven narrowed her eyes when she saw his shadow at the crack of the door and heard him lean on it as if to keep her inside. Not like it matter much, but it still disturbed her that he was doing this, but sighing nonetheless she turned around and hesitantly placed the bag on he sink. Zipping it open she raised a curious brow, then scowled and glared at the door, muttering to herself, "You've gotta be kidding me …"

Moments later, outside, X standing, waiting patiently glanced at his watch – he had it hidden under the sleeves of his jacket – impatiently tapping his foot on the ground he knocked on the door, "You died in there?"

"…" a moment of silence, then he backed away when the door opened and out she came with a pair of sharp dark sunglasses shielding her violet eyes, a long gray trench-coat that she tied shut, baggy black jeans, and converse shoes. She slipped the sunglasses down to eye the scrutinizing X, "Is there a reason why you'd want Robin to wear sunglasses in the middle of the night?"

X shrugged, "Yeah, pass over the bag."

She slipped off the duffle bag that was hanging on her shoulder and handed it to him, he took it and gestured for her to follow him back out, she did and stuffed her hand in the pockets of her loose trench coat. Seeing that the men posted in the hallway were gone she stayed close to X but once again nearly ran into him when he stopped and looked up the stairs. Raven followed his gaze and saw a little girl sitting at the top of the stairs, looking down at them, she smiled shyly at X and waved, X smiled right back and placed the duffle bag at the base of the stairs. Walking away, Raven furrowed her brows together and reached for the bag, knowing that all her stuff was in it, X's voice stopped her, "Leave it."

"But … that's **my **stuff," Raven glared.

X tilted his head and gestured to the girl, "That girl is only 4 years old, her mother's 18 now and barely able to keep the both of them alive … what good will your stuff do you when it can be a miracle for that girl's family? Her and her mother is all they have."

"…"

And like that …

Raven fell speechless … looking back up the stairs at the little girl who curiously watched them while holding a dirty stuffed bear, her black hair and dark skin with such innocent dark brown eyes. It pulled at her heart strings to know such a story, and what made her feel so guilty was the fact that … she was a hero worried about material possessions. Raven wasn't a material girl, but she was feeling pretty bad right now as she turned back to X and followed him to his bike. He mounted it and helped held out his hand to help her on, Raven looked up at him for a moment and frowned when he smirked, "Hey, that's life angel, you can't have your cake and eat it too."

"This," Raven found herself responding as she climbed aboard and wrapped her arms around his waist, "is very ironic coming from the likes of you."

"Get use to it, cuz' this isn't no one-night stand." X grinned, his _"wise" _expression completely gone from his jade-green eyes.

Raven sneered, _Go figure he had to ruin my second thoughts about him, _scoffing she murmured under the roar of the X-bike that came to life and once again woke up the residential area, "I'm going to pretend you worded that differently."

"Whatever your pleasure."

Raven gripped him tight as he sped down the streets of Jump City, not meaning too, but finding she had no control over herself she pressed herself closer to the thief, very uncomfortable with the fact that he was going so fast. Now, don't get it wrong, Raven wasn't a coward when it came to speed, she was rather accustomed to it since her occupation required her to be quick on her feet. She's ridden with Robin before, once or twice, and granted him and X both has the same speeding addictions. However, there was something a little more different about X … there was something a bit more reckless in the way he handled his bike.

Gave her an odd twisting feeling in her gut, that she couldn't explain, and to be quiet frank she didn't like it, Raven held her breath when she felt X pop the front wheel of his bike in the air. Forcing her to hold on even tighter – if it was possible – to him, then she heard him laugh and for a second she thought that he had did it on purpose to scare her. Daring to look up and glare at the back of the thief's head, she gasped and held her breath when he dropped the wheel and picked up speed. Her heart rate picked up ever so slightly and before she knew it, he was slowing down, and she found out that was **was **a God when he stopped and sat up.

She released him and he looked over his shoulder to grin at her, "I take it you don't like bikes that much angel?"

Raven shot him an annoyed look as she smoothed back her violet hair, which she'd grown for the specific purpose of this mission, trying to look as different as possible. She scoffed and climbed off the bike as she thought to herself, _I think I like sunshine better then angel … and my stuff … the transmitter that Robin put it my clothes … _with a sigh she looked around their current area and couldn't help to realize that he had taken her all the way to the Southside Docks. The smell of the ocean air and the sound of the swishing water brushing up against the concrete as the dawning breeze swept over them.

Of course it was still dark out, but Raven was pretty sure by the position of the moon it was 1:00 am, "What are we doing here now – ah …!"

She gasped in sudden shock when she felt her right arm clenched and twisted to her back, arching she felt the back of her head rest on X's shoulder. Looking up into his glowing eyes her mouth fell open when she found him wearing a black outlined white eye mask and for a split second she could have swore she was staring at Robin! It was his grin, Robin never grins so lethally and he chuckled, "This might hurt a little angel."

He held up what looked like a nightstick, but Raven felt her eyes bug out when it sparked at the tip and she realized too late what he was going to do. Before she could find the ground to defend herself pain shocked up and down her spine, through out her body. A scream caught at her throat, and before she knew it everything blacked out. X dropped her on the ground and shook his head, "You should have known better than to send your girl on this assignment kid …should have known …"

**((--Mid-Morning--))**

**((--The Docks--))**

Robin controlled his anger as he stood and clenched Raven's T-com which he found discarded carelessly on the ground. With Beast Boy fruitlessly sniffing around as a bloodhound, the green changeling stopped at the edge of the docks and morphed back into a human. Sitting on the wooden ground he looked back at Robin and frowned, "Sorry Robin … but … I can't pick anything else up … the trail ends here …"

"It's alright Beast Boy …" Robin said quietly, as if trying to convince himself of every word that came out of his mouth, "… I didn't expect you'd find anything."

He communicator rang to life, Robin flipped it open and Cyborg and Starfire stood in plain view in front of an apartment, Cyborg sighed in frustration, _"Rob, you're not gonna believe this … but we traced all of Raven's stuff in some apartment within a black duffle bag. What do you make of it?"_

"He made her change," Robin said gruffly, "… and shocked her to disrupt the signal we implanted inside her."

Cyborg raised a brow and jerked his head back in disbelief, _"It takes a major charge to knock out the chip … she's gotta be unconscious."_

Beast Boy looked out to the open bay, "Damn … he's probably taken her out of the city."

"_Kidnap Raven?" _Starfire asked suspiciously, _"Would he like her as an exchange for some kind of price? His known identity maybe?"_

Robin shook his head, "Not his style, X is the kind of guy who thinks he's above using others to get what he wants … no … this was planned, but Raven wasn't the target, it was me. Damn it … I knew this would happen …"

"_Robin?" _Starfire eyed him carefully, _"What is it that you were supposed to know?"_

"It was a holo-mask … he was wearing a damn holo-mask!" Robin informed his teammates with great regret, "The one the chief gave us, I knew something was off about it, when I examined it last night, it wasn't real at all! In fact … everything about his arrest seemed staged! How in the hells could a thief of Red X's caliber be taken down so easily by a busted tail-light! It was all an act … he planned it all, everything … and I … I still let her go …"

Cyborg wasn't liking where this was going, _"Robin … what are we thinkin'?"_

"Jax San Nicolas died in prison **_5 years ago … _**Red X is working **_for _**Slade …"

Beast Boy jumped to his feet and stared at his leader in disbelief, "Wait … so … you **_knew _**X was working for Slade and you **_still _**let Raven **_go!"_**

"I had to be sure –"

"_Robin! Listen to yourself! You practically sacrificed Raven's own life pushing her to –" _

Cyborg was cut off as Robin shouted, "She knows so too! But she agreed to go anyway incase she **_was _**captured she'd lead us straight to Slade's hideout! I just didn't count on X actually knowing she had a tracer implanted inside of her."

"_So now what?"_

"We find her."

Beast Boy snorted and looked out into the open ocean, "Easier said than done … they could be anywhere!"

"We'll we're gonna try … Raven's in trouble and we gotta help her."

**((--Unknown Location--))**

"_Is she conscious yet?"_

Darkness … disoriented darkness … forbidding … not at all like the darkness within a dream …

"_She shouldn't be I gave her a strong dose from the needle when she started to come through from the shock, she should be out for the entire day."_

Numbness … dizziness … disoriented … unfamiliar sounds, who's that talking? Murmuring?

So confused …

"… _You underestimate the daughter of a demon … do you hear us child?"_

Raven's brows furrowed and the numbness within her body prevented her from moving, from easily opening her heavy eyes to look within the direction of the dreaded voice of the Titans adversary, "… Slade …"

She croaked, she heard shuffling, the other voice, the younger voice, familiar … a mask flashed before her dark vision, and suddenly the strength to feel enraged came to her as she gritted her teeth and moaned, "… X …"

"_Ah … so she remembers you …"_

"… _Whatever, look, she's in mid-condition like I promised, now can you had over my money so I can split?"_

"_What's the matter? Don't want to stick around to say good-bye to one of the most powerful Titans you have so easily apprehended? I would think it would be most rude."_

She fought the heaviness in her eyes to finally open, but when she did open them, her vision blurred out and she might as well have kept her eyes shut. She couldn't see anything, not in the darkness she was in. The dim lighting somewhere off to her left created a silhouette of the two figures she identified as Slade and X somewhere to the side. Fighting the numbness to feel her body once more, she could not determine that her body was in a kneeling position.

Hunched over her hands to her side and her back to what felt like stoned walls, she carefully, oh-so carefully lifted up her head to get a better view of Slade and X and lifted up her hands to block off the light that had flashed in her eyes. Only to realize frightfully, that her wrists were in chains, her ankles as well … and so was her neck! Still a bit disoriented she gulped when she felt her throat was dry and shakily tried to hold her body up from slumping as she found the power to narrow her eyes in confusion, "Wha … what's … going … on?"

"Haven't you realized yet child?" Slade walked up to her, but as she focused on him she found that she was in a cage! For he stopped at the bars and through his mask she could tell he was grinning maliciously at her, "You've been lured into a trap, all set up by this brilliant-minded youth that came up with the concept of your capture all by himself. I applaud his creativity, rather entertaining."

Slade stepped away and Raven focused on the body hidden in the shadows, the familiar figure of Red X in full costume, only without the Red X face mask. No … he was wearing just an eye mask instead, the same ones she saw before he knocked her out with that stick. He seemed to look in her direction, but with her disoriented sight and train of thought she could hardly make it out as she turned back to Slade, "Capture … wha – what do you want with me?"

"Even drugged you can still think coherently, impressive," Slade gripped one of the bars of her cage and leered at her devilishly, "I had originally planned for Robin to be my captive and to once again gain his trust as my apprentice, but I guess there's been a slight change in plans and you were delivered instead. Which means a 10 percent deduction of Red X's payment."

"**What! **Bullshit!" X exploded, and his shouting echoed through out her prison. Raven hissed when it pounded at her head, but she recognized the echo, _Underground … cave setting … liquid … water … ocean … Jump City Bay … _she calculated and watched tiredly as X marched up to Slade and into the dim light, "You can't expect me to capture one specific Titan! I told you already that kidnapping is not my style, may be yours, but it's not mine so I handled the situation under the best of my abilities. Hell no are you gonna screw me over like that!"

"…" Slade sneered under the mask, "My army says otherwise."

"…" That shut X up good, and Raven knew if she was bit more cohesive, she wouldn't have snickered when the thief pulled back and thought over this outburst, "… **Fine."**

"That's a good-boy, now I want you to escort Raven to the Infirmary, and there you'll find your money, after that, I never want to see you again, is that understood."

"Like you're the most generous host on this godforsaken planet," X scoffed and opened the cell, Raven noticed Slade narrow his masked eye on the thief and as X walked into her cell, Slade grabbed his elbow and yanked him back. Face to face, X scowled, "what the fucks your problem. Let up!"

Slade shook him violently, "Do not address me as if I am one of your peers, I am the one paying you here and you shall address me with respect is that understood?"

X pushed Slade off of him and dusted off his shoulder, "Go to hell, how's that for respect? You cut my earnings, I think I'm entitled to be a little pissy, so step off and let me escort your little Titan to your fuckin' Infirmary."

"Ignorant whelp."

"Hard ass bastard." Raven felt X undo her bindings and she saw a chance to cut and run, but she was too weak! The drugs, whatever they shot her with must have been a neurotoxin that affects bodily function, because unless she was pulled up to her feet, Raven knew she held no strength to do it on her own. Walking wobbly, legs feeling like gelatin, collapsing here and there, loathing every moment she had to rely on X to support her fallen body, and hating every second his hands were on her. She tried to fight him, fight the drug, fight everything to get away … but every time she tried she'd stumble and she'd make herself look even more pathetic.

Frustrated, drugged out, tired, and in pain, Raven hissed when she felt X apply presser to a certain location in her back, he immediately removed it and in a surprisingly soft tone of voice said, "Figured that spot was still tender."

She thought about the reasons why he'd say that, then she remembered that he shocked her at the docks and even more resentment showered over her already weak body, "So in … the end … it's all … about the … money … huh …"

It wasn't a question; it was a statement, one that X scoffed, "Gotta make a living somehow angel."

"I see …" Raven sighed heavily and tried not to show that her eyes were watering over. Tearing out of frustration because she was so **_goddamned _**weak and unable to do anything about **anything! **All she could do was talk … and even that was taking a lot out of her, "… do anything to get everything … you're pathetic … you can't even stand on your own without stealing someone else's cane – ah …"

He let her drop to the ground in a tired heap, her legs too weak to hold her own weight she sat still for a second, glaring at the ground feeling her tears creating streams down the side of her face. Gritting her teeth, and refusing to scream, but wanting so desperately to fight back. She looked up into the white mask X was wearing that glared down at her with great conviction, "You talk a lot of shit for a wounded dog."

"But it's **_true _**isn't it!" Raven argued, but sucked in a deep breath, never realizing how much screaming could effect her, bringing a shaky hand up to her chest, she tried to slow her increasing heart rate and remove the blurriness from her vision. Not quite sure if it was the cause of her tears or her exhaustion, she looked back up at X and continued softly, "How many identities have you faked? How many lives have you destroyed to get what you want!"

"I never killed anybody!"

"You're working for Slade! That's about as low as it gets …" he was wearing a mask … but Raven could tell she's been with Robin long enough to tell, that he couldn't hold her gaze. Even if his mask made it look like he was matching her glare for glare … he couldn't even win a staring contest if he tried at this point and it sickened Raven to know that this thief actually had a guilty conscious, "You can hide behind every disguise in the world, that still doesn't change the fact that you're just selfish."

A moment of silence, and for a second, Raven thought that X was really contemplating her words, but when he looked at her and sneered, she was dead wrong, "You know … it's preachers like you that really piss me off."

Raven hissed when he grabbed her upper arm and hoisted her onto her feet, his hold on her so tight she was sure it would bruise later as he yanked her towards the Infirmary, "What were you expecting me to do? Suddenly change and see the _'error of my ways'? _No, screw you, and your morals, and your little friends."

They arrived at the Infirmary, and without mercy he shoved her inside, gesturing to the Slade-bots that stood guard to wait outside. The doors slid shut and Raven found herself suddenly staring into the thief's mask when he grabbed two handfuls of her trench coat and bent down to be eye to eye level with her, "Don't take your anger out on me because your leader fucked up. You didn't have to believe me, you didn't have to care … why the hell do you think I made it so obvious that I **_allowed _**my arrest?"

"…" Raven gulped and confessed, "… I was supposed to lead my team to wherever Slade would hold me captive …" X pulled back, his anger dieing down to astonishment as she looked away from him, "… they would have been here already if you hadn't had destroyed the homing device inside me."

X let her go, "Hold the phone, so you **_knew _**I was working with Slade and you **_still _**went along with my act just so you can get close enough to this psycho to bring him down? Is that right?"

"It better be," Raven scowled, "because though Robin may barely _"tolerate" _you … I can't stand the very **_idea _**of **_working _**with you …"

_A set up within a set up … how ya like that … _X thought, as he ran his gloved hands through his hair, glancing off to his right where he spotted the black suitcase where he knew his money was being held. He smirked a bit, then chuckled inwardly, shaking his head he glanced down at the tired Raven and his smirk grew wider when she looked up at him defiantly, "Gutsy move for a chick like you angel … you always accustomed to sacrificing your own life for a good cause?"

Raven ignored the sudden mood swing that came from the thief and sighed heavily, whatever drug X had shot her up with starting to go throughout her body once more and numb out her nerves. She closed her eyes for a moment, then reopened them and sniffled, "I'm a hero … it's my job."

"And despite what I am …" X crouched down to her level and in a very dramatic mood swing reached out a hand and gently hooked his finger under her chin. Holding it up and seeing just how regal she looked – even in her haggard state of appearance. X grinned, "I do have my moments … however rare they may be … but hey, what can I say, I'm all for chivalry, saving the day and getting the girl is alright by me."

Raven sneered and moved her head from him, _He's all for chivalry … can he get even more hypocritical? _"There's no _'girl'_ you're going to get here … and what are you trying to say?"

"Slade thinks he can screw me over on this deal and get away with it … he's dead wrong, angel," X snickered, "you just gave me a plan."

"No way," Raven scowled, "there is no way in **hell **will I be your means to an end."

"Aw come on! The enemy of my enemy is my friend … whaddya say? Your boy wants him so bad, let's hand him over with a little red bow as an early birthday or Christmas present, whichever comes first."

"…"

"It's easy … I'll do all the work … all you gotta do, is look pretty."

Raven narrowed her eyes on X in suspicion, _He's trying to play both sides of the field … and within my condition … I don't think I even have a choice … _

**((--The Titans--))**

Robin on his bike lead the Titans down the streets of Jump City, determined to find Raven, not far behind him was the rest of his team within the T-car, "Beast Boy said that Raven's trail ended at the docks, X must have taken her somewhere along the coastline. Split up and search the entire –"

"_Robin! Behind you! Coming up on your left flank! It's X!"_ Cyborg shouted, Robin glanced back and true to Cyborg's warning, X was closing in with no intention of slowing down. In full costume, Robin was forced to swerve to the side and avoid a collision with the thief who zipped right passed him and looked back at Robin with a two finger salute, popped a wheelie, then took off in a hot second.

"Damn you …" Robin growled and went full throttle, pulling clean away from the rest of his team to catch up with X who screamed around a corner, pulled a 360 and stopped dead center in the streets. The public who were all there stopped – yes, even those in cars – dead in their tracks as they all heard Robin following up, but also came to a dead halt only 3 yards from the thief, "Where's Raven!"

X revved his engine, chuckled, and leaned forward to grab the handle bars of his bike, mumbling only loud enough for himself to hear it, he was sure Robin got the hidden message, "Wouldn't you like to know …"

And like that, with the smell of burnt rubber hanging in the air, X completed another 360 and lead Robin on a high speed chase for Raven's life.

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, everybody should know that.**

**A/N: Well, well, how you like them apples? Review, tell me what'cha think and I'll see how fast I can get the next one up ... by the way, the poem above is one of my favorites, don't know who it's from but I'll spoil you and tell you it's clue for the next chapter ... in fact, the quote that will be in ever one of the chapters will all hold hints for either whats going to happen in that chapter or the next one.  
Ya never know, just keep a sharp eye out of those kinds of things.**

**L8er daez**


	3. The Shade of Illusions

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Illusions+**

"_And although my hands are shaking,_

_I lie perfectly still,_

'_cuz I'm determined_

_To let myself sink down!"_

_-"Dive Right In"_

_-Story of the Year_

_**THU-THUMP …**_

"… _Raven …"_

She twitched, falling in and out of consciousness.

_**THU-THUMP …**_

"… _My daughter …"_

"Father …" cold … so cold, she twitched again at the chill of the steel table she was laying on, but she couldn't processes what exactly was going on, before falling back into the rhythm of her heartbeat.

_**THU-THUMP … **_

"… _You …"_

_**THU-THUMP …**_

"… _Belong …"_

_**THU-THUMP …**_

"… _to **ME!**"_

Her world erupted in flame; her human mind engulfed in darkness, evil ravished her every thought, and pain reigned supreme as blood cleansed away her humanity and she became exactly what her father had created her to be. The perfect little hellion, but the problem was, Raven wouldn't let it happen without a fight, **"NO!"**

"Well … wouldn't you know … even the demonic little witch can't fight against the Elixir," Slade glanced at the computers informing him of Raven's bodily response to the Elixir he had introduced into her system. Her brainwaves were off the charts, heart rate increased drastically. He couldn't help to chuckle, "she keeps this kind of response up it could mean her imminent –" **_beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee … _**"– death."

**BOOM!**

Startled by the sudden interruption, Slade spun around to see his door blown wide open, and through the smoke appeared the four Titans. With Robin brandishing his bo-staff, Cyborg charged and ready to fire, Beast Boy crouched prepared to morph, and Starfire just waiting for the signal to open fire. Robin clenched his staff tightly as he glared at Slade with deep loathing hatred, "Slade … where is she!"

Slade tilted his head in confusion, _Well … that was fast … _discreetly, Slade glanced through the glass window looking down into testing lab where Raven was strapped to the center of a steel table. The door on the far left side was thrown open when one of his robots standing guard outside the lab was thrown inside and torn to shreds. Following after the robot was none other than Red X. Nimbly weaving in and out of laser fire, taking out five of the Slade-bots with a hand full of explosive blades. Showboating, but affective nonetheless, Slade sighed in slight annoyance and turned back to the Titans, "You just can never find good help these days …"

"Titans GO –"

"I'd love to stay and catch up on old times, but I'm on a tight schedule, until next time." Just like that, the ground opened up beneath Slade and he vanished, Robin scowled and went to jump in after him, but as he rushed to catch the hatch before it closed.

The hideout's dim lights grew dark and started to flash a bright red, and an announcement was set off, **"Warning! Self-destruct sequence has been activated. 1:00 minute till destruction. This is not a drill … repeat … this is not a drill, 55 seconds till destruction."**

"Robin! We've gotta get outta here!" Cyborg reached out to grab Robin's arm and pull him back out into the hall, Robin let out a frustrated shouted when he was forced to turn around and follow the rest of his teammates, but he pulled back, and Cyborg spun around, "HEY! This isn't a damn joke Robin! We've got to –"

"I can't leave Raven with X, you guys go! I'll catch up!"

Starfire blinked in disbelief, was he really so concerned that the Red X was going to capture Raven once more when he promised that this time it was for real? "Robin –!"

"Just go Star! That's an order!" Robin turned heel and took off back into the lab, leaving Starfire to stand in confusion and worry.

Beast Boy grabbed a hold of her wrist and pulled her towards the exit, "Let's go Star, Robin and Raven can handle themselves."

"**43 seconds to self-destruction …"**

Robin ran into the lab doors and found X was just standing and staring over Raven's **_still _**cuffed body, "Why the hell are you just standing there! Get her out!"

"The fucking cuffs are embedded into her damn body dumb ass! I can't just pull it and expect her not to bleed to death," X shouted back, rushing up to the steel table explaining the situation as calmly as he could with a self-destruction activated in the back of his mind, "Look … you see the damn spikes in her wrists? Ankles? Shit! The sides of her neck, pull **_any _**of those off, she could die before we even get her out of here! Not only that, the spikes are feeding some kind of chemical into her system and lord knows what that shit's effect on her is going to be."

Robin's mouth fell out in utter bewilderment; he couldn't believe there was a person alive on planet Earth that could do such a thing as this. It was madness! Then again, Slade personified madness, but still, it broke his heart to see that he had condemned his friend to such a fate. Seeing the pained expression on her face he gulped and made the decision, **"30 seconds to self-destruction …" **

"Help me get the cuffs off her."

"…" X stared at Robin for a second; glancing down at Raven's helpless form he shook his head in disapproval, but said otherwise, "Your conscious not mines."

Just like that, Robin and X both got the spiked cuffs off of her, but at a heavy price, blood was all over the place and when they both at the same time pulled the spikes off her neck. **"20 seconds to self-destruction …" **Raven's body reacted on its own and turned to the side vomiting out her own blood and a bit of the chemical that Slade had pumped her with. Her eyes were wide open utter fear and disorientation, but only for a second before she fell unconscious once more.

"**10 seconds to self-destruction … 9 … 8 … 7 …"**

"Shit …" X moved faster than Robin and scooped Raven in his arms, tilting her head to rest on his chest he moved around the table and ran for the exit, Robin close beside him, more concerned for the welfare of his friend. He and the thief ran as fast as they could to the exit.

Outside at a safe distance away from the hide-out located just off a cliff somewhere to the Southside of Jump City. Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy waited in worry. Then, before they knew it, the hatch to the hideout opened and Robin climbed out, stumbling away from it, Starfire's face lit up with great relief, "Robin!"

Robin looked down the hatch completely ignoring Starfire when he heard the unbelievable, **"… 2 … 1 …"**

"_**RAVEN!"**_

**KABOOM!**

The cliff side shook, and the hatch Robin was staring down was suddenly engulfed with flames. If it wasn't for Starfire flying to his rescue the fire would have melted off his face and the collapse of the cliff would have taken him for a swim with the fishes. Flying him away from the destruction, Robin couldn't help to struggle, "Starfire! Turn back! Raven! She's still there! **_RAAAVEEN!"_**

"Robin! Please understand … that … that …" Starfire couldn't say it … couldn't even bare the thought of thinking it for it was bring her down to the ground somewhere just off the shore of some unknown beach Red X had lead them too. She set Robin down and he immediately began to run back to the destroyed lair … but … found his knees turned to jell-o and the strength to stand sapped out of him. Dropping in the sand, on his hands and knees, head bowed, breathing ragged, Robin fisted his hands in the sand and fought the dire urge to scream. Starfire knelt down with him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, but much to her surprise he smacked it away … and she turned away from him tears welling up in her eyes, "Oh … Robin … may … maybe … the Red X phased her out with him before the explosion … he was with her … I assume?"

"She was …" Robin said quietly, his mask becoming watery, his vision blurry, he turned away from Starfire, and for the first time in a long time … he took off his mask in the middle of daylight. His sapphire eyes reflecting the deep ocean's forever horizon, tears of frustration, tears of self-hate, tears of sadness rolled down his face as he said, "… and … for just a moment … she opened her eyes … and looked at me … and I didn't know what to do … it's my fault … it's all my fault …"

Starfire bit down on her lower lip, trying to prevent her voice from shaking as she tried ever so hard to console her friend, "Please … Robin … it's … it's not your fa-fault … there could still be a –"

"Chance?" Robin gritted his teeth, angry with himself, disgusted with how he could hide his pain so well with such a straight tone, "… I put her up to this assignment … she had a chance then …"

"Robin! Star!" Cyborg and Beast Boy came running up to them from off the shore, Robin slipped his mask back on to hide his pain filled sapphire eyes and turned to see his other two friends. Both with worried looks on their faces as Beast Boy asked with a looming shadow waiting to slap reality right across his face, "… Where's Raven and X …"

Starfire broke down.

**((--+-+-+--))**

"… _Amazing … I've never seen wounds so deep heal so fast … who's she?"_

"_No one you need to know, Jamie."_

"… _Whatever, just make sure before you doze off again that you change her bandages, despite her fast healing the wounds are still bleeding."_

"_Yeah."_

**((--+-+-+--))**

"… _You still here?"_

"… _It's my place; I think I'm **supposed **to be here."_

"_That's not what I meant! I mean … you've been sitting there with her this entire time?"_

"… _Got nothing better to do …"_

"_Yeah right, usually when you say stuff like that it means you got more on your mind than usual, fess up R – hmmmnfff!"_

"_**Jamie … **I'm **warning **you …"_

"… _Right … the whole _**'identity' **_thing, like she's conscious enough to hear us."_

**((--+-+-+--))**

"… _Like nothing I've ever seen before, man! Take a look …"_

"…"

"… _You see that!"_

"… _Otto … I'm a hacker, not a bio-chemist, now in plain English explain what the hell I'm looking at."_

"_Alright … for bio-chemical warfare, this thing is like the 50-foot shark, every one knows it's out there, but it's just that nobodies actually _**seen **_it."_

"_And that means what to me?"_

"… _Okay, it's like this. It's called the Elixir, alright, and pumped up with enough this stuff can seriously alter the specimen's – in our case your little lady friend over there – state of mind, in can wipe it as a clean slate. The subject don't know who the hell they are, where the hell they came from, and what the hell they're doing there, which gives the creator the power to manipulate them anyway they wish."_

"_This thing can actually _**do **_that?"_

"… _No, the project was canceled due to the touchy humane political bullshit, but anyway, the scientists that were working on it, immediately stopped at a critical stage of production. Now what's in your girl now is a sort of prototype that'll … at worse … rearrange her track of time …"_

"_Meaning?"_

"_Meaning … when she wakes up, there's a 60 to 40 percent chance that she'll go insane … and if that happens … well … she's screwed."_

"_No … _**we're **_screwed … thanks for the info."_

**((--+-+-+--))**

It was funny … no … it was surreal, a very surreal experience she was having, one that she could only explain as being on cloud 9. Higher than high, but lower than low, Raven gulped and slowly … ever so slowly opened her eyes when she felt a heavy dose of sunray hit her closed eyes. Carefully turning away to hide from the light, she opened her eyes and found herself staring at someone's dark blue jeans.

A male's judging by the size, Raven slowly looked up to the plain black shirt he was wearing and found that he was sitting up upon the same small bed she was laying on. Only his back was against the wall, his head resting on the corner, showing that he was asleep … and wearing a Robin-look-a-like mask. Honestly … Raven would have mistaken him to be Robin, but this guy had light brown hair that seemed to have faded black dye slowly slipping off. That was what gave him the difference between Robin and him … and the two gold earrings around his left ear. Meaning only one thing, this guy … Raven could only know him to be one person.

Red X … and why she was sleeping next to him she knows she'll understand soon enough, but in the meantime … he was a sleep and now was her chance to see what he **really **looked like. As carefully as she could, so not to disturb any of her wounds, which she figured she had after the fading conversations she's heard during her time as nothing but a comatose vegetable. Raven shakily sat up, and scooted closer to X, reaching out a hand to his face, she inched slowly towards said mask, wanting to take it off, to really **_see _**him … but then … a shift.

His aura … he was awake … Raven pulled away and glanced at the window which was right next to the small bed she and he were on. He, having moved his head to look at her with that arrogant smirk of his, "Mornin' angel … why'd you stop?"

Raven gulped, she wasn't sure if she could talk … she could still remember the pain at her throat when she faded in and out of dream world, but she tried anyway, "… You're aura shifted … you woke up before I had the chance."

He shifted and sat up straight, "Well that's good … you're talking … you feel any pain?"

"Surprisingly …" Raven looked at her wrists and frowned when she saw the scars forming, but they were fresh … the flesh was still tender, she could tell with the way she rotated her arm, but she felt no pain, "… no …"

"Didn't think you would," she looked up at X and watched as he carefully maneuvered around her and slipped off the bed to the ground where he stretched and Raven had the opportunity to see just how well toned his body was. He built for stealth not power, he cracked his neck and shook himself awake while saying, "if there's anyone that can patch you up, it'll be Jamie."

Whether it was just for the hell of it, or because he was bored, he did an in-place back-flip and stayed crouched on the ground as he turned up to her and through his mask she could feel him wink at her. Raven looked away to the doorway of the small otherwise fairly neat room to see someone coming in, a female with the same voice she heard as she drifted in and out of consciousness. Jamie, "Well duh moron, I've already told you the reason why I'm not my apartment! No! Hell no! He's not my type! Screw you, you don't **own **me, you wanna control someone go control that whore you were with last night! … Bullshit Jerry! … Ugh! I don't need this!"

Apparently she was on the cell phone for she hung up on _"Jerry" _and growled, angrily stuffing the cell phone in her pocket she crossed her arms over her chest. X got up from the floor and snorted, "I'm tellin' ya Jamie, get rid of him."

"Oh shut up," Jamie sneered, her lively – if not slightly livid – doe brown eyes, reflecting the sunlight pouring in from the window in the room, lighting her eyes up and turning them hazel as she glared at the thief, "Jerry may be a bit possessive but he buys me stuff and I'm not about ready to let that go … besides … it's fun to see him squirm."

A deceptive smirk appeared on her otherwise childishly angelic face … looking oh so coy, but underneath it all, Raven knew there was more than met the eye. Her light complexion, creamy and smooth, long blond hair tied up high into a ponytail with tendrils coming down to frame her cute face. Raven figured X would associate himself with someone like her; she wondered if they were seeing each other with the way X sauntered up to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She looked up at him and he leaned down eye-to-eye level with her, "You are just so adorable when you're tormenting the ones you love."

"Easy slick," Jamie giggled as she glanced momentarily at Raven who looked out the window, bored with the display of twisted affection, Jamie's brown eyes looked back up at X's masked eyes and placed a finger on his forehead to push him away from her, "I don't think your girlfriend appreciates being ignored. Morning hun!"

Jamie slipped out of X's arms and skipped up to Raven who narrowed her eyes on the blonde who had **dared **to make such a statement. X still hanging around the door, leaned his forehead on the thrush-hold and growled, "For the last time Jamie, she's **NOT** my girlfriend!"

"Really?" Jamie put a finger to her chin, fringing deep thought as she shrugged nonchalantly, "Could have fooled me, it's not everyday you drag home an injured girl, **_force _**me to stay with you and look out for her for the entire 72 hours she laid half-dead on **_your _**bed, in **_your _**apartment, and expect me to believe that there's not a little **_something _**going on here. I'm blonde, X, okay, not stupid."

X sneered, "What's the difference."

Jamie gasped and put a hand on her heart, fringing insult, "Oh, X! I'm hurt! After I **_willingly _**gave you up to her, so that the two of you can live together happily ever after like in the movies. How could you so eagerly toss away my feelings? Ah …"

"Jamie …" X gritted his teeth, "I told you, it was a split second decision! I didn't have a choice!"

"Yeah, so is that the reason why you let the **whole world **including her friends believe that she's dead so that you can bring her here and nurse her to health? Yeah right!"

"What …" Raven spoke up after digesting their entire conversation and quite honestly being as livid as X was about this girl even considering their relationship to be anymore than enemies. Her anger, however, died when the blonde had said something about her friends. Jamie looked at her and bit down on her lower lip; X scoffed and banged his head on the wall as Jamie cleared her throat.

The fun, was obviously over, "Honey … it's been three days since X over there brought you here … and within those three days rumors circulated through out the Underground that you and X … were both killed in the explosion. No one knows, other than myself, my brother Otto, and X know you're here. Alive and assuming well …"

Raven narrowed her eyes in confusion, "Assuming?"

Jamie shrugged, "Otto, my brother's a bio-chemist, he picked up traces of something diabolical in your system … we can't be entirely sure what Slade was planning to do with you or even know what the effect of the chemical in your system will be on you. So … even if we wanted to let you go … I'm afraid it's too dangerous, until we know what's really wrong."

"So basically …" Raven concluded in a cold tone that made Jamie suddenly loose her nonchalant demeanor and shuffle around nervously under Raven's intense glaze, "… I don't exist … and I'm a prisoner …"

"Not exactly a prisoner …" Jamie tried to correct, getting far more nervous every ticking second Raven pinned her with those cold violet eyes, "… um … more like a patient under strict observation. I … uh … I promise we'll let you go once we find a way to clean you of the chemical in your body."

Raven turned away from her to once again stare out the window, "That's not your promise to make."

Jamie hesitantly glanced back at X who had leaning against the thrush-hold of the door, staring seriously at Raven. Feeling a sort of tension building up in the room she cleared her throat and slinked out passed X and back into the hallway saying quietly, "Uh … um … I'll, uh, go see if there's anything for me to cook … um … yeah … heh …"

She took off, and good that she did, because the moment she did, when Raven closed her eyes something off to the side on top of some kind of nightstand next to the bed imploded. It turned out to be X's alarm clock, Raven sucked in a deep breath and felt herself levitating off the bed, **_"Azarath … Metrion … Zinthous … Azarath … Me-Metrion … Zin … thous …"_**

**BAM!**

The door was slammed when X moved away from the thrush-hold, Jamie in the kitchen gulped and her brother Otto, sitting on the couch looking over the news looked up and shook his head, "Why does he **_always _**have to piss off the people he meets first hand."

Jamie sighed, "Otto … she's a Titan … I'm sure their animosity goes way beyond today."

They heard shouting.

"You bastard!" Raven screamed, her eyes filling up with enraged tears, "Why didn't you just let me die! Anything would have been better than to be pronounced dead with the likes of you!"

X scoffed, "Do something out of the goodness of your heart and you're criticized for it. Maybe I should have left your sorry ass!"

"Why didn't you!"

"I told you already angel, I'm no killer, I got you in there and I was going to make sure that I'll get you the hell out! I promised just before I knocked you out!"

"Yeah, and I bet you helped Slade strap me into whatever damn device he had me on!"

"No! **HELL NO!** I was out and looking for your goddamned friends, how in the fuck am I supposed to know he'd do something like that!"

"You're the mastermind!" Raven scowled, absentmindedly bringing a hand to her neck when she felt an awful tightening sensation similar to a sort of dog-chock-collar. Where the leash tightens when the master pulls and warns the dog not to disobey them, Raven tried to ignore it, "Why didn't you figure – **AH!**"

Pain!

"Damn! Otto! Jamie! Get in here now!"

So … much … pain … it burned her body, melted her flesh, she rolled out of the bed and onto her knees on the floor, quivering, Raven clenched her eyes shut. However, when she did she saw that horrible darkness. Felt that sickening feeling of insanity, everything hurt, but she couldn't see, she couldn't stand the darkness so when she opened her eyes she instead saw what was causing her pain. Fire.

The flames of hell …

Her ears hurt … she heard them … she heard all of them … the damned souls screaming, begging for redemption, begging for release, or cursing the Gods above that dared to look down on them in pity or amusement. They saw her. The souls, they saw her, and in there dark black unseen eyes, she saw their need, their desire, and their lust for her as they reached out for her, "… No …"

The fire burned her … baptized her as an unwilling, unholy Princess of Hell.

"**NO!"**

"_Hold her still!"_

"_Her vitals are off the chart, and her fevers not going down!"_

"_Shit! She's going into shock."_

"_Robin! Where's the lorazepam shot we need to calm her down!"_

"_Jamie, no, we can't shoot her with anything, not with the Elixir in her blood, it's too risky, this could be the cause of the Elixir."_

"_Otto, if we don't –"_

"_Let her ride it out."_

She drifted, **_"They can't do anything Raven … you know this, yet you still fight me."_**

"Father …" Raven gritted her teeth and opened her eyes to find herself within her room at Titan tower … but where was her father? At her bookshelf … looking as human as ever in a sleek suit, only his four glowing red eyes, sheet white hair and antlers were ever present, snapping a book he was scanning shut he turned to her and glared. Raven scurried back against her headboard, "No … we … **I **banished you back to hell! You're not real!"

"On the contrary my dear … I am **_very _**real." He crossed her room and without trouble reached her and hooked his finger under her chin, pulling her up and forcing her to look deep into his glowing red eyes as he grinned a fang grin and chuckled sinisterly, "And this time … you can't escape me."

Her eyes turned black, and she cried acid black tears as her father kissed her forehead and promised her rightful place as his little Princess. So she fell, dove back headfirst into the darkness she shall reign supreme, forever alone … forever damned … forever forgotten. Falling so fast, falling so deep, she didn't expect anyone to save her … but a hand had gripped her own and held on tight and would never let go. Jerking her back, away from eternal abyss, she blinked back her black eyes to see who had the nerve to dive into the hell and rescue her.

"Robin …" Jamie and Otto jerked their heads back in shock, as she held onto X's hand and practically crawled into his arms, however, it wasn't **her **actions that shocked them. It was the Red X himself, he let her hold onto his waist, rest her head on his lap, and cry till her hearts content, "Robin …"

Otto whispered, "She knows you?"

X shot him a dry look, "The **_other _**Robin …"

Jamie chimed in softly, "Well you're going to have to play along least she falls into another episode."

"Gee, do I really have to mother?" X sarcastically rolled his eyes, but astonishingly enough, as fast as he had taken to an annoyed tone, he softened it up and leaned down to whisper softly in her ear, "I'm here for you Raven … I'll never let anything happen to you …"

Jamie and Otto glanced at each other then wondered out loud, "Were Robin and Raven lovers at one point?"

X shot them a look of warning, Otto held out his hands in defense, "We're talking about her leader, not you!"

"No, he was too hung over that cute little alien." X shrugged and gently, almost lovingly stroked Raven's grown out violet hair.

Otto smirked, "Oh, you mean the hot redhead."

X snickered, "Damn if she looks that good, I wonder what else is out there."

Jamie glared at the two boys in disappointment, "Are you two seriously discussing this kind of thing while this girl's in dire need of help? Come on, have some sympathy."

"Jamie," X sneered, "a moment ago she called me a _'bastard' _and said that she'd rather die than to be pronounced dead with the _'likes of me' _… this is about as sympathetic as I'm gonna get."

Jamie threw her arms in the air and got off the ground, "Whatever, but see if you can get her on the bed, I don't think the grounds a good place for her to rest. Otto, come on, we've gotta talk about a few things."

"Sure …"

Just like that, X was left to take care of the now calmed Raven, staring at her and seeing how hopeless she was he looked off to the side and sighed, "Why do I have to be such a good guy?"

Carefully, X scooped her up in his arms and set her back down on the bed, but the only problem was, as he tried to pull away from her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down with her. Holding on so tight, X huffed and realized that he wasn't going to get out of this, not if he wanted her to flip out on him again. Laying next to her, X couldn't help but notice how curvy her figure really was with his own over sized shirt on her body.

Her silky legs curved as she tried to pull herself closer to his body heat, higher and higher the shirt rose o expose more and more of her skin to him. X slid his hand on to her waist and pulled her closer finding that there was really no stopping him from taking full advantage of the situation. With the way her violet hair wildly spread around her, her lips parted open ever so slightly and her chest gently raising up and down from her rhythmic breathing. X smirked and whispered to himself, "Do you realize I can take advantage of you right now … god you're lucky I'm not that kind of guy …"

**((--The Next Day--))**

The sunlight flashed through his mask and onto his closed eyes. Momentarily opening them, not expecting the sun to be right in his face, he winced and turned around, "Ah … stupid sun …"

"ROBIN!"

Robin growled, "Stupid noise …"

"ROBIN!" **BAM! **His door was slammed open and he felt someone shaking him away, "Robin! Robin get up! She's gone! The Titan, Raven, she's gone!"

It was Jamie, and she was in a state of panic, Robin pushed her arms away from him, not in the mood to deal with her right now, he turned back and decided he'd rather deal with the sun, "Ah … Jamie, damn man go away!"

"I'm not going any where, because **your **girlfriend just walked!"

"I don't have a damn girlfriend."

Jamie huffed in frustration, "AH! Then I guess you're okay with the fact that Raven's walking the streets and possibly knows where we're at, who you are, and willing to tell anyone on the street then? That's it?"

Robin grumbled and grabbed a hold of his pillow, "What are you talking about … she's right here … beside … aw hell …"

He just realized the problem and jumped to his feet, "Fuck, why didn't you tell me earlier!"

"What the fuck do you think I was trying to do this entire time!"

"DAMN IT!" running out into the hall and into the living room to see Otto sticking his head out the window trying to find the runaway Titan, "Otto! What the hell are you doing?"

Otto shouted back into the apartment, "I'm looking for our girl, what does it look like I'm doing?"

"You're not going to find her just looking out the goddamned window!"

Jamie grabbed a hold of Robin's arm in panic, "Rob, she's the Titan that can phase through stuff right? What if she found away to get back to Titan Tower!"

"No way, I think her powers are limited by distance … we're not in Jump City anymore, she doesn't know where she is, and is probably going to get her dumb ass lost," Robin walked to the exit, Jamie followed, but he stopped her, "Call up the informants and ask if they've spotted her."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to look for her."

Otto jumped over the couch and followed after Robin, "I'll come with."

"No, you stay right here and continue that research on the Elixir."

"Robin," Jamie gave him a very worried look, "we don't know how unstable the Elixir is, or how frequent her episodes are gonna be, you're gonna have to find her fast."

"I know."

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but Otto and Jamie I _do _own.**

**A/N: Wooooo-weeee! Ain't that something, Robin and Robin had the same name … but find out later if this is just an alias and if Raven's ever going to get back home. In the meantime, hit me back with your feedback, I love to hear your reviews so please send them. The more there are the faster I can post up.**

**L8er daez**


	4. The Shade of Trust

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Trust+**

"_The lies I weave,_

_Are oh-so intricate!"_

_-"This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race"_

_-Fall Out Boys_

_Can't stay there … can't stay there … I have to find my friends, I have to find the Titans … he's coming … no … he's back … _Raven stumbled in the middle of the streets, wearing a pair of jeans she found in that Jamie girl's room, and thanking whatever God gave her this opportunity to run. Still wearing what she assumed was X's oversized plain dark blue shirt. Her hair all in shambles and her complexion paler than ever, she bit down on her lower lip and looked around when she stopped at some street corner, trying to see if she recognized anything. Just **anything **that'll lead her home … but everywhere she turned it was something strange, something new … something unfamiliar.

Refusing to stop, and refusing to admit that she was getting very anxious in such an unknown place. It wasn't that it was scary, no not at all … in fact; it didn't resemble anything like she thought X would have been staying in. A nice neighborhood, like a little suburban/county/town like setting just off the skits of a near by city that she **_still _**didn't recognize. Not even the smell was familiar, and the sun had already come up, pretty soon the near deserted streets would be crowded with people.

She had a feeling that was the case and she had to find a place to hid, people meant the likelihood that X had people around to record every minute of his _"territory". _She didn't know how he operated, but by what Robin had taught her and the rest of her team about criminal culture was just the basics and it was good enough. Trying to fix up her hair, Raven continued to walk down the empty streets, trying to blend in, but failing miserably. Sensing she was being watched, Raven gulped and quickened her pace.

"She's headed down Andrew Avenue, coming up to the corner of Linshaw and Kake," murmured the café worker that Raven had just stood by at the corner of one street. He continued to wipe the tables clean getting ready for the morning rush of workers that'll want their daily dose of caffeine to get them through the day.

On the other line of the phone was Jamie sighing in relief, _"Thanks Frank, I owe you a bunch."_

"Nothing to it," Frank hung up and continued to monitor Raven's move, never knowing it was an actual Titan, just knowing that she was getting herself mixed up with the wrong crowd. Jamie was a friend's niece and the people she associated herself with were sketchy characters in their own way.

Especially the guy coming around the opposite corner of Raven, Frank didn't really like him, because he rubbed up on him the wrong way, but he was alright, once he got to know him. Dark sunglasses on, even if the morning was still a bit dim, Frank sighed as he watched the girl run into the young man and suddenly freeze up when that young man smirked devilishly. Then, she did like most of the prey this predator stalked, she ran the other way, and ran for life, but it was no use, throughFrank's observations. The girl looked paler than a baby-seahorse, and so exhausted that she was running on nothing but adrenaline, literally.

In about five seconds flat, the one in the dark sunglasses caught up to the girl and wrapped his arms around her, she reeled and apparently had a fighting spirit – and a bit of self-defense skills as tried to struggle out of his hold. Frank shook his head, _No use little girl … you just don't know who you're dealing with … _she let out a murderous scream, but then the young man slapped a hand on her mouth and whispered something in her ear that made her stand still for a moment, but only for a moment. Frank huffed and decided he's seen enough and walked around the table to his counter and to the back room to prepare for the morning rush.

"For one second, just listen to me alright!" X hissed in her ear, Raven stood still, but only to catch her breath as best she could to fight him again.

Too weak to wield her powers, she gulped and looked over her shoulder to X, "Why should I? I'm not your damn lab-rat and I'm sure as hell not staying with you! Not after what you said last night!"

X cursed himself inwardly, but asked quietly, "You heard that?"

"I heard everything!" Raven felt herself cracking, that weak hopeless feeling returning to her, "Who the hell do you think you are impersonating Robin!"

"I was **trying **to be nice," X said between gritted teeth, feeling himself once again slammed because he tried to be a good guy, he let her go since she wasn't struggling anymore. Raven stumbled a few feet away from him and turned to face the Robin imposter with a sincere look, "you were out of it, we didn't want you go into another episode so I did it to calm you down."

Raven shook her head, "Not that … your alias … how could you steal my friend's name!"

X blinked, "Wha … whoa, whoa, _whoa _hold up angel … you … you think the name _'Robin'_ is my **_alias?"_**

"Well isn't it?"

"NO!" X outright denied with a shout that echoed through out the empty town, realizing he had shouted, X calmed down and walked up to Raven who took two steps away from him, "Angel … alright … let's clear this up … my name, my **_real _**name, is Robin Xander, and that's the truth."

Raven narrowed her violet eyes and pulled away from X, getting a good look at him she skeptically sneered, "Your name … is _Robin …?"_

"Ironic, huh?" he smirked and chuckled as if it was a joke and Raven had to admit, deep down, that was really funny … and **very **confusing to say the least.

Now embarrassed that she felt like she overreacted, she looked away and frowned, "I still can't stay … I need to go back to my friends, X, I can't worry them like this. They can take care of me, and … I guess … I'll keep your secret, if you just let me go back."

His smirk dropped, "Angel, you know I can't do that … and it's really not for identities sake, I promised you you'd be alright and I didn't hold up."

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Raven argued, "You're not supposed to care!"

"You don't know me."

"… This is crazy … can I at least tell them I'm alive?"

"Its better this way, that way I don't have Robin breathing down my neck, and, the heat blows over for me … look, I'm just asking for a **_little _**cooperation here. It's not like I'm asking you for an alliance or anything … I'm trying to help you here."

Raven balled her hands into tight fists, shaking ever so slightly; she huffed and loosed her grip … what was the point in fighting back? If he wanted to help then so be it … but this thief didn't know what he was getting himself into, plus, beneath it all … Raven had a feeling that there was more to this story than she was being let into. Whether it was a deadly secret, on an inevitable path to a horrible truth, and whether or not her father was real or if it was the cause of his weird drug … Raven just had a bad feeling in the pit of her gut. Telling her to run away as fast as she could, she sighed in defeat instead and until the day she died she'll never know why she caved when she could have fought her way out, but she did anyway.

Looking up at X's shielded eyes she bowed her head and between gritted teeth said, "That's a nice speech and all … but … can we get back … I think I need a bath."

"No problem … this way."

"But I remember coming from that way …"

"Yeah, but this is a short-cut."

"… Oh …"

Frank came out of the back room and the first thing he saw as he walked up to flip the closed sign to open was the violet haired girl and the sunglasses wearing guy were walking together, Frank snorted and shook his head, _Hook, line, and sinker._

Arriving back at the apartment, Jamie leapt for joy and clasped her hands together, "Yay! She's not lost! Way to go Ro – er – X you found her!"

"Yeah …" X shot Jamie an odd look then gestured to the hallway for Raven, "to your left."

"Thanks," Raven said quietly and headed for the bathroom, Jamie watched her, and waited to hear the door close till she rushed X and asked.

"Is she okay? She wasn't freakin' out? What happened?"

X shrugged and closed the door, "We talked."

Jamie's face fell as X walked by her and into the kitchen, "Talked? You just … talked?"

"Yeah … she wanted to leave, I convinced her otherwise, what's the big deal?"

Otto, on the couch raised a brow, "What made her want to leave in the first place?"

Again X shrugged, "Something stupid, she thought I was _'impersonating' _her leader … apparently she heard you idiots shouting my name last night."

Jamie tilted her head, "That's it?"

X nodded, "That's it … now if you don't mind, I'm going to my room, call me when Drama-Queen's having another break down."

And just like that … X walked to his room, and closed the door.

Leaving Otto and Jamie to stand and stare in utter bewilderment, Otto scoffed, "You know something else happened."

"Yeah," Jamie sighed, "but I guess it's really not our place to know … but … man, she must really like her leader or something if she's so swollen up in the chest just because Robin's name is Robin."

"Well, look at it this way … after a three day comatose period, she wakes up to find out that she doesn't exist, she's in a house full of cons, and in bed with one of her team's most notorious criminals. Not to mention we have no idea how in the hell Robin got caught up with her in the first place, so … it's almost like a shock of reality for her. One that she can't cope with, I mean, come on, how would you like it if you found out that you were saved by a criminal? Wouldn't you want to know his motives?"

"Depends, if he's cute, hell he can do whatever the hell he wants with me," Jamie grinned deviously, Otto rolled his eyes and found his sister to be a lost cause, "and Robin, I mean our Robin, he's fine as hell, I see no problems in waking up in the same bed as him. Seeing his moves on the battlefield, I'd just **_love _**to see what's up behind closed doors. He can steal my goodies any time of the week."

Otto scoffed, "Sometimes I worry about you Jamie."

"Hey … you think I can get away with an affair with him? Robin I mean? Jerry's too dull to know and hell, this is like a once in a lifetime opportunity – hey!" Jamie dodged a pillow Otto threw at her glaring into her brother's dark brown eyes seeing just how serious they had come.

She resented his next string of words, "Not on your life Jamie, you can be with any other guy in the entire world! Just not **him."**

Jamie glared deeper, "Why not?"

Otto sighed and returned back to his laptop, trying to find the perfect counter for the Elixir, "I don't trust him."

"He's a thief … what's to trust."

"No … not that … there's just something about him I can't put my finger on that I just don't like."

"What? He's smoother than you."

"No! Like I said, I can't put my finger on it, but there's just something about him that I can't – that **_no one _**should trust."

_Knock … knock … knock …_

X looked over his shoulder to his bedroom door, reaching for his laptop, he closed it and leaned against the dresser, with his eye-mask back on he answered, "It's unlocked."

He waited, and Raven poked her head in, she wasn't wet like he expected her to be from her bath, but she did look at him passively and said almost hesitantly, "I don't have any clothes."

"You can borrow Jamie's you guys are about the same size." She shot him a dry look and he sighed, running a hand through his hair he gave her the same look, "Are you serious?"

"You should have thought about this before you decided to hold me hostage," Raven scoffed and X turned his back on her.

"Go talk to Jamie; she's the one who took care of your stuff when we brought you here."

Raven closed his door and turned around to go find Jamie, but jumped in shock when the blonde turned up right behind her with her folded old clothes, "Here you go! I heard the water running and figured you might want your clothes back. Hey! I know! After your bath whaddya say we go shopping together? This place has a **great **shopping center and a helluva café; we can get coffee on discount since I know the owner!"

She was just so bubbly … in her own way … almost like Sta – _No … Starfire has a greater purity aura than this girl does … _Raven thought to herself as she took her clothes back and thanked the girl, gracefully – despite her weakened condition – maneuvered around her and silently, almost eerily made her way back to the bathroom. Jamie shuttered, feeling the chilly trail Raven left as she walked away from her, Jamie began to rub her arm to get the goose-bumps to settle down as she walked back to the living room.

Moment's later, Raven stepped out of the shower rubbing herself down to dry herself out, stopping momentarily to notice the scars on her ankles … her wrists … and through the small mirror to see the scars on her neck. She sighed and reached for her clothes, beginning to put them on, she coughed when she felt that chocking sensation on her neck again! _Oh-no … _she brought her hands to her neck and held it, as if it'll try to stop the chocking, she fell against the bathroom door and slid down to curl up on the floor. She couldn't scream … she found it hard to breath … so hard …

_Knock … knock … _

"_Raven … it's Jamie … are you okay in there? I heard a thump …"_

Raven opened her mouth to try and tell her … to tell anyone that she was chocking … that she couldn't breath … but the moment she tried to get her words out, she felt her mind suddenly swirl into a pit of confusion and the words that came out. They weren't hers! "I'm … I'm fine … just … fine …"

"_Are you sure? You sound breathless …"_

Again Raven tried to scream the truth, but the leash, the collar, it tightened in warning and her mouth betrayed her, "I said I was fine!"

"_Okay … just checking …"_

_No! No! Come back … please come back! _Raven coughed, and clenched her eyes shut, feeling this won't end till she was dead she gritted her teeth and when she opened her eyes, she saw leaning against the tiled walls of the small bathroom, was her father. Dressed as before when he was in her room, he chuckled at the look on her face, frightened, and painful. He crouched to her position and reached out to brush a strand out violet hair from her face, "My dear, are you alright? Would you like me to loosen your leash? You'd like that wouldn't you?"

Then … just like that … it was all over.

He was gone … and the leash was loosened … but in her head, as Raven rolled her head back against the bathroom door she heard him, **_"Remember you're still my daughter, remember …"_**

Forcing herself not to cry, not to quiver in fear, forcing herself to get on her feet and ignore her father, to fight him … to be as strong as Robin had wanted her to be when they faced her father once before. Raven climbed back to her feet, using the sink as leverage, she leaned on it and looked at herself in the mirror, noticing just how meek she appeared. Feeling so alone without her friends, Raven knew she could scream now … but what would the point be?

Fixing herself up a bit she walked out of the bathroom and tried to seem as normal as she could but failing so miserably with that distant look on her face as she entered the living room where Otto stopped his typing on his laptop and Jamie looked up from watching TV. She turned it off and jumped for Raven, "Hey, you okay? You didn't sound fine in the bathroom …"

She wouldn't care … she wouldn't even understand! So Raven shook her head, "Just trying to get use to the fact that I'm living under the same roof as Red X."

"Oh …" Jamie giggled absentmindedly, already knowing that she was lying, even if she looked so utterly convincing with that straight poker face she had on, "… well … X is a character, he'll grow on you though, he grows on a lot of people. Watch! Sooner or later you're gonna find yourself liking him and not even know why, I mean, that's how it was with my brother and me."

Raven gave Jamie a long, **_long_**, hard look then said in a chilling tone, "I'm not your brother or you."

"Heh … eh … um … right … so … you – uh – you still want to go shopping for clothes? I mean, it **_is _**an essential since you'll be staying here a while, right?"

"Only until you figure out how to drain the chemical out of my system, and that's it."

"Right! So … off we go?"

"… I don't do shopping …"

Jamie could have fallen over in awkwardness as Raven walked to the couch and sat down, "Um … well … how about the café? Want some coffee?"

"Herbal tea …"

_Okay … talk about your hard nuts to crack, _Jamie thought with a sweat-drop looming on the side of her head, she walked up to Raven and leaned down to her from behind the couch and smiled, "The café has herbal tea there too … and some food case you want something to eat. Totally my treat!"

Raven looked at Jamie, then glanced at the kitchen, "If there's food here I'll cook myself something to eat when I'm hungry."

"Even if you wanted to," Jamie giggled, "this is X's place, he's hardly ever here so he doesn't have anything to eat, plus … I don't think he can cook, and I know for sure that neither me nor my brother can cook for our lives."

Raven knew her culinary skills weren't as sharp as Cyborg's, but after her Father's _'visit' _he has been teaching her how every now and then. However, if there was one thing she learned how to do was to make French Toast. Getting up from her spot on the couch she walked up to Jamie and nodded, "Let's go … but we're going to shop for groceries afterwards. If I'm going to stay here, there is no way I'm going to be eating take-out the entire time."

"So … you know how to cook?"

"We'll find out soon enough."

"Alright! YO! X!" Jamie shouted from the hall, while gathering her purse and slinging it over her shoulder.

X came out of his room and noticed the two headed for the exit, "What? Where are you two going?"

"Shopping!" Jamie cheered, "Right after we go for some herbal tea, so we're going out, okay?"

"…" X glanced at Raven who waited patiently with her hands in her opened coat, staring at nothing in particular. X shrugged, "I'll come with."

Jamie smiled brighter, "Great! The more the merrier, what about you Otto? Coming with?"

"Nah … I gotta make sure the molecular structure of this genetic based composite doesn't …" he looked up and noticed the blank stares he was getting and scoffed, waving them away, "just go and make sure you pick something up for me, I'm starved."

"Got'cha." Jamie nodded and like that the three of them left the apartment for a morning out on the town.

Giving Raven a chance to really observe her surroundings as the streets crowded with fairly nice people that all seemed to know who Jamie and X were. Since everything was so close, X and Jamie decided that they were going to walk and the first stop was the café Raven recognized to be the café X had found her in front of. It was crowded, and dare she say, warm and delightful with a very homey feel as people laughed, smiled, or discussed business everywhere around her. Jamie lead them up to the counter and leaned on it, "Oh, _Franky! _You favorite customer is here!"

"Jamie! It's been awhile!" Franky, an older man in his mid-40s came out of the back room and smiled at Jamie with his gray mustache and graying hair. He took notice of herself and X and his smile slightly faulted. Raven observed the sudden clouded hesitant and guilt ridden aura that shrouded his once chirpy mood. Wondering to herself why he would be so guilty, she kept to herself until he asked her what she wanted.

She gave her order, and Jamie had it all to go, saying something about being on a shopping schedule, they made small talk and Raven turned her back on them. Crossing her arms over her chest she looked around the café and took notice of the warm feeling of the place, really studying it closely. Her mouth nearly fell open when she sensed the deceit and lies that hovered just beneath the surface.

That was when she felt X whisper in her ear and gestured to the couple at the window seat where the dark haired woman smiled coyly at her partner. The woman reached out to hold her partner's hand and he leaned over the table to kiss her chastely, X said, "She has three kids at home, a husband at work, and guess what … only one of those kids is really her husband's."

Raven turned away from the affair and locked her gaze on three businessmen; at least … she thought they were business men, X once again informed her, "Ricky Dago, Jonathan Cullen, and Dimity Gavril … bosses of the Italian, Irish, and Russian Mafia. Here to set a deal on their smuggling trades."

"What are they smuggling."

"Anything and everything." X glanced to the side and gestured for Raven to notice a group of high school girls who walked in giggling and being every day girls, but that was just the surface. X told her the truth, "Those girls killed their parents, and faked child abuse – yeah, that kind of abuse – and were given full heritage of their parents assets and bank account. So now you know, everyone in this café is not what they seem … you're swimming with sharks, angel, better to stick with me."

"Okay! Here you go and let's hit the Shopping Center!" Jamie handed Raven her herbal tea and X grabbed his frap, sipped on the straw and shrugged at Raven as she was lead out of the dangerous café onto the streets. Jamie bouncing off the walls and skipping down the street as she talked to Raven who mostly tuned her out, "… oh! And I think you should know that – Ooo we're here! Come on Rae, let's go!"

Without warning Raven felt her elbow yanked in the direction of the Shopping center, dropping her drink. Raven growled, but decided not to let it get to her and turned to run after Jamie not wanting her arm to be yanked out of their socks. X lagged behind and smirked in amusement as he shook his head, but that smirk dropped when he caught a shadow round the corner into an alleyway. Eyeing it cautiously, he let Jamie and Raven take the lead as he went to go check out the shadow.

Rounding the corner he stood before the seemingly empty alleyway and tilted his head, "I know you saw her … Jinx."

From the catwalk, soundlessly the pink haired and cat eyed girl leapt down to his level. Standing in full costume and hands on her hips she grinned as X grinned himself, she chuckled and shook her head, "I knew there was no way you could have gone out like that … seemed too easy."

"You give me too much credit, I'm only human."

"Maybe, but you're smart … Robin thinks you're dead … but he can't accept Raven is as well."

"Figures."

Jinx tilted her head in curiosity, "What are you doing with her anyway?"

X shrugged, "Long story short, I'm saving her life."

Jinx raised a skeptical brow, "Really?"

"Yep, and I need you to keep it under wraps."

"I'm no snitch," Jinx smirked, "but you know how determined Robin can get … he'll figure something out."

"Let him try, but Raven's not going anywhere."

"So I see, she seems content."

"Only on the surface."

"Okay …" Jinx nodded then sauntered up to him, her devious eyes looking up into his mirror sunglasses, she nodded and patted his shoulder, "… see ya around X."

"Remember Jinx, I'm dead."

"Yeah, yeah." Hands in his pocket, X watched Jinx vanish down the street, knowing that his secret was in good hands he turned around and made his way into the Shopping Center to find Raven and Jamie.

Jamie squealed as she saw a cute miniskirt in a store called Papaya and yanked Raven into the shop, Raven grumbled, as she was force to once again endure the pain of critiquing what Jamie chose as clothes, "Oh my god Rae, this skirt is **_so _**me."

Raven eyed the short – super short skirt – and sneered in disapproval, "If you want to be called a slut, be my guest."

"Hey!" Jamie eyed her playfully, "I have a boyfriend, I got to please him every now and then."

"Excuse me while I gag."

"Fine, be that way, but I'm going to go try it on … ooo! I'll try this one on, and this one, oh that's cute! I'll be back Rae."

"Yeah …" Raven huffed and let Jamie escape into her dressing room, leaving her to absentmindedly shuffle around the shop. Feeling eyes, feeling the heat of the gazes all around her, the girls glancing at her, whispering about her, sneering, and laughing about her. Getting uncomfortable, Raven was just about to walk out of the shop, until she ran into X, "… X …"

"Where's Jamie?" X looked around and felt the eyes all watching Raven, feeling her uneasiness, he rolled his eyes as Raven told him Jamie was in the dressing room, "And you're not there with her? I thought you were out to buy clothes."

"If you haven't notice," Raven sneered, "This place isn't exactly my style."

X nodded; "Right …" he thought for a moment then grabbed a hold of her hand and gently pulled her out of the shop, "Follow me."

Raven fought the urge to yank her hand back as if it was being burnt by acidic poison when he held her hand, but she didn't want to cause a scene and let X pull her around the Shopping Center to stores where she felt less self-conscious. Plus, she hated to admit, but with him there, he seemed to ward off the looks, she guessed it was because he was well known for one reason or the other around here. Maybe he was in high respect, or something else entirely, but the point was, no one bothered her as along as he was around.

She was inwardly grateful, but she'd never admit it, and before she knew it he was buying her clothes with various credit cards and never caring for the price. Raven kind of figured he'd have a limitless bank account with him being a thief and all, feeling guilty because she was buying stuff with stolen money. She tried to put it out of her mind, she really tried, but she was a hero … she couldn't help having a strong conscious.

After going through three shops with X, Jamie finally found them, "Hey! What's up! You just ditched me!"

"No," X corrected, "You ditched angel, Jamie, we're shopping for her, not you."

Jamie shyly tried to hide the six shopping bags behind her back, but it was no use, "What? I can't help that I get carried away … hey … did you buy yourself stuff?"

Jamie pointed at the three bags X was holding and found that Raven was holding absolutely nothing and it clicked even before Raven explained, "They're mines … he insisted on carrying them."

"Oh … I see how it is …" Jamie eyed them mischievously, "I'm not special enough, but your girlfriend is?"

"What are you talking about?" X growled.

"X … **_everybody _**knows how much of an ass you are! Especially when you're shopping with me! You never carry anyone's bags!"

"Jamie, that's you, don't compare yourself to any other girl I know. Now let's get out of here."

And for the rest of the trip, Jamie ragged on X and his manners, telling Raven how much of a gentleman he can be with girls he likes and finds her as an exception. Raven once again tuned her out, finding her topic of conversation not at all interesting. So X wanted to carry her things, there could have been a number of reasons why, and if he really was doing it because he secretly liked her or something, it didn't affect her at all. Raven knew she harbored no affections for the thief, other than mutual agreement, or temporary cooperation.

The three made it back to the apartment in little to no time at all, but when they did come back Jamie let out a gasp, "Oh! I knew we forgot something! The groceries! We didn't shop for them! Shit."

Raven shook her head, "It's alright, we already had too much to carry."

"Yeah …" Jamie frowned in disappointment, "but I was so looking forward to watching you cook."

X glanced back at Raven, "You can cook?"

"A little."

"Funny, I just had this hilarious image in my head of you burning pancakes and actually trying to serve them to the rest of your friends." Raven turned her back on him trying to hide an embarrassed blush that rose on her face, yeah, her friends never let her live that down every time she stepped into the kitchen to cook her friends breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Even though she got a lot better since then, it was still an inside joke that embarrassed her. X shrugged, unbeknownst to her embarrassment he walked into the hall with her stuff, "You'll be rooming with Jamie, I'll put your stuff there, oh, and I do have food in the kitchen, it's just these two don't bother to look and I'm too lazy to cook."

Jamie gasped again, "So you **can **cook!"

"I've been living on my own since I was 10; It was a survival skill for me."

"Cool …" Jamie turned to Raven who had walked into the kitchen and began to look through the cabinets, surprised to find that the canned foods were not only neatly stacked … but categorized. It was slightly disturbing to Jamie to see something so neat, Raven left the cabinet open and walked to the lower cabinets to look for the pots and pans and found them all neatly put in place. **_Everything _**was in order; Jamie giggled hesitantly, "Well … at least we can say he's organized."

"Right …" Raven huffed and thought out loud, "Szechwan Chicken … I'll cook that."

"Sounds good, I'll help."

**((--+-+-+--))**

"So how is she?"

"_Pretty normal so far."_

"Really?"

"_Except for the fact she seems kind of … I don't know … unhealthy."_

"When you're loosing your sanity, I highly doubt you'll get away with a clean bill of health. Don't worry about appearance so much … as long as she's disconnected from her friends she'll eventually become my perfect specimen."

"_How long will that take?"_

"As long as she's kept distracted … not long at all, a month, maybe two in the least."

"…"

"You doubt me?"

"_No … I just don't think it's possible to keep up the charade in two months … she's not exactly gullible."_

"I wouldn't worry so much about that."

"_Right … signing out."_

"Report back soon."

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I do own Otto and Jamie**

**A/N: There you have it … the fourth chapter! You want more you know what to do, leave a review and I'll update soon enough.**

**l8er daez**


	5. THe Shade of Family

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Family+**

"_There's this darkness deep inside, that flows through my veins_

_An emptiness that hides, where the past will remain_

_This locked up emotion, my blood-red hate_

_Burning my soul, and destroying my faith_

_The shadows they whisper, telling me to let go_

_But it's hard to forget, what had made me explode …"_

_- "The Devil's Angel"_

_- Me!_

Sitting against the wall on her new bed staring out the window, Raven felt the moonlight shine on her and couldn't help to feel so lost … so alone … so out of place. Bad enough she struggled with this feeling with her friends, separated from them made her feel even more of a blemish on the sun. Rolling her head back to staring up at the ceiling, she sighed and closed her eyes, but not to sleep, no, just to think … to escape reality for a moment into her comforting sanctuary.

Yet … even that didn't help, **his **voice was still echoing and telling her over and over, reminding her time and again that she was his and there was no way out. Making her feel even more so trapped between the boundaries of her mind and her life … there was no line. There was only a blur and it hurts so much to try and deny the fact that she was alone. No one … but no one can understand the fear deep down inside … the fear of herself, of her Father … of being alone …

_Click!_

Raven glanced over at Jamie's side of the room, noticing that she had turned on her nightstand light, looking at her and hugging her pillow. The blonde tilted her head and smiled wearily, "Hey … why you still up?"

"…" Raven at first didn't answer, just immediately brought up her mask of indifference and turned away to stare at her bed sheet, then responded quietly, "… not tired."

"Go figure," Jamie sighed and rolled on her side, propping her head up on the palm of her hand as she tiredly yawned, "I took you for the insomniac type, Robin's the same way."

It took Raven a moment to realize that Jamie was talking about X, and not Teen Titan Robin … that could be very confusing she noticed as she shrugged, "Not surprised, he's a thief."

"Is that the reason why you don't like him? Because he's a criminal?"

"No … I can't stand people like him."

"'_People like him'? _You don't even know him," Jamie defended softly and Raven scoffed.

"I know him well enough to be the type to think he can get away with everything."

"… I think you judge people a little too quickly," Jamie sat up and swung her legs over the edge of her bed, but didn't get up, just sat there with Raven, her blonde hair messily draped over her shoulder and cascading down her back. Raven felt her own hair paled in comparison to her pretty silky hair as Jamie flicked it back over her shoulder, "Shit girl, I bet, if you were a little more trusting and smiled more you'd get a lot of guys fawning over you!"

Raven sneered her violet eyes glowing in the dim light, "In case you haven't noticed, I'm not into attention."

"I know! I'm just saying … you got real potential," Jamie smirked, "yep … I bet you're a secret smile!"

"Secret smile?"

"Yeah! There's the Cutie Smile that tells people you're a bit shy, but flirtatious and willing to participate in almost anything, I'm a Cutie Smile. Then there's the Mischievous Smile that tells people you're up to no good all the time despite the sincerity of the smile, Robin has that one hands down! Then the Bubbly Smile that's cheery, perky, typical ditz girl/guy with no clue about what the real world is really like. A Secret Smile now … is usually small and completely sincere, but with a secret emotion hidden behind it … almost flirtatious, but not. Yeah … I think a Secret Smile matches you."

Raven blinked, then blinked again and rolled her eyes, "Do you hear yourself? Cutie, Secret, Bubbly Smiles? I'm sorry if I woke you up, but you **_sound _**sleepy."

Jamie picked up her pillow and threw it at her; Raven was so shocked at the move that she stared at Jamie wide-eyed as she laughed, "You're so stale!"

"Stale? Spoiled bread?"

"A slang my brother and me use which means you're lame, buzz kill, the rain on our parade."

"Oh … sorry for the let down."

"Girl, you really gotta loosen up them pantyhose and live a little! It wouldn't hurt to flirt with a guy or two, go clubbing, hell make the most of your stay here!"

"I'll pass …"

"Aw com –"

_**Knock! Knock! Knock!**_

"_Jamie open up!"_ Jamie jumped to her feet to answer the door and come to find that it was X, Raven narrowed her eyes in suspicion when he looked like he ran the marathon wearing a plain white shirt and jeans with his mask on he panted, "Pack your stuff up we gotta go."

Jamie shook her head, "Wha … why! What's going on?"

"Remember that Pendant I stole, and said that I sold it to the Dago Family?"

"Yeah …"

Raven frowned, _Pendant? The Pendant of Infinity?_

X shrugged, "Apparently they found out it was a fake, real rubies don't break I guess."

"ROBIN!" Jamie screamed in utter disbelief, X took off into the living room to shake Otto awake, while Jamie slammed the door shut and growled in complete annoyance, "Damn him! Damn him to hell and back - NO! HE BETTER STA HIS AS IN HELL! GRAH! Come on Raven, pack it up, we gotta go, in a minute this whole place is going to be pumped with led."

In record time Jamie and Raven got dressed and loaded up whatever suitcase they could get their little hands on. Which were two big luggage – most of them were Jamie's things – tossing them out in the hall Otto and X immediately grabbed them and the four all made their way down to the garage. Where Raven spotted a black Escalade, Otto popped open the truck tossed all their stuff inside and went over to the driver's side, "Hey, Rob, what's the plan, where we goin'? I mean … this is the Dago Family you pissed off this time … I think –"

"Hawthorne Garden Court …"

There was a yelp on the other side of the car, it was Jamie, she had apparently missed the step to climb into the Escalade and tripped, she would have eaten the ground if Raven hadn't have helped her up. Jamie thanked her, climbed on board and leaned over her brother to stare at X, "Hawthorne! Are you for real? I thought you said you were disinherited!"

X sighed and shrugged, "I lied."

Jamie growled, "Well you seem to be making a habit of that!"

"I'm a thief."

"THAT'S NO EXCUSE!"

"Um … mind telling me how I'm supposed to tag along?" Raven asked and X walked around the car to see what she was talking about and the both of them glared at Jamie who's belongs filled up the **entire **backseat.

Jamie shrugged innocently, "What?"

"Shit," X growled and Raven looked up at him, already knowing what was coming next, "alright, Raven you're coming with me."

"Like I have a choice."

Jamie waved them off, "Good-luck Rob, Rae!"

She closed the door and Otto drove them away X lead Raven deeper in the garage and where she found the X-bike, she had to furrow her brows and ask, "Does everybody here turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to who you really are?"

"The place has a don't-know-don't-ask-no-worries attitude," Raven knew the drill and mounted the bike after X, expecting him to just take off like he usually does, she had to rethink his plan of action when he just sat there, "sorry angel … but it looks like you're gonna see what it's like for me on a regular basis."

"Can't wait." She heard the roaring of various other motorcycles, X turned his on and Raven leaned forward to wrap her arms around his waist, and took a deep breath as he gripped on to his handle bars. Raven prepared for anything as X carefully rolled them out of the garage and into the street. There he looked to the left and saw three motorists sitting in wait, Raven hoped to God X knew what he was doing when he revved his engine and caught the attention of the bikers. They immediately jumped on their bikes and raced the X-bike when he took off down the street. Raven frowned, "You can out run them, why are you doing this? Whoa!"

Gun fire, X swerved a bit to avoid it them, then gunned the engine and set in a fairly good distance between them and their pursuers. More gun-fire even as they turned the corner, Raven narrowed her eyes and turned around. Holding onto X with one arm she held out her other hand to the motorists, her eyes glowed, not white, but black and her hand generated her normal black magic. Yet … she could feel something different deep down inside her gut, there was a shift in her power, **_"Azarath … Metrion … Zinthous!"_**

Black flames sprouted from the ground as she cracked the pavement and watched as the three motorists lost control of their bikes and fell into the ground. Now, this would be the part she'd just leave it open for a chance that they could come out a live … she was still a Titan after all … but … something happened, _"My dearest daughter … you … are … mine!"_

She fisted her opened palm and the pavement closed up … leaving no trace of it ever having been disturbed. X raised a brow, but didn't question it as she wrapped both her arms around him and stayed quiet through out the entire ride. Straight out of the suburban setting, further away from the city till Raven noticed that they were cruising through some remote location. Zooming passed the trees with nothing but the moonlight as their guide alone the dark road that had fallen leaves on it. The leaves whipped up and like magic they danced around the bike before once again plummeting back to the ground after the wind had vanished.

She even noticed X had slowed down a bit, as if he himself had to enjoy the magic of the night … but … when Raven spotted a 20 foot wall up ahead and on a gold plate inscribed: _Hawthorne Garden Court._ The memory of some kind of _"inheritance" _popped into Ravens head and she noticed next to the black steel gates, parked the black Escalade, Jamie rolled down her window and waved, "Hey! That was pretty damn fast! What'cha do?"

X snickered, "Angel over here cracked the pavement, you figure out the rest."

_Cracked the … ah! _Jamie stared at Raven for a moment then blinked in disbelief that such a girl who looked no stronger then herself could do such a thing, _Whoa … kind-a makes you wonder what else she can do … _she gulped and shrugged, "Cool … now whaddya say you open up for us hmm?"

X's smirk dropped as he parked up at the gate, he looked up at Jamie and Otto and sighed, "You guys continue down the road, my aunt lives in the next house, she likes visitors just say my name and she'll be ecstatic to have you."

"Wha –! You mean we don't get to live in the bigger house!"

"Jamie, just go."

"No fair …" Jamie sat back in her seat and told Otto to go, in a matter of minutes they were gone.

X looked up at the security cameras, then glanced back at Raven then sighed and announced out loud what Raven figured was a voice activated password, "Robin Eli Xander."

_His full name … so it is Robin …_ Raven thought to herself and it was proven when the gates opened and X rode in his shoulders rigid, in fact, his entire body was stiff. Very hesitant, willing to turn around and gun the throttle just before the gate closed. He still had a chance … he could still do it … he could … the gates closed, he was stuck and it was most certain when he had to ride down the curving driveway up to the courtyard. Straight to the Spanish steps … beautiful home … no, it wasn't a home.

It was a frickin' castle!

By what Raven could tell … there was some kind of celebration going on, X stopped and parked the bike right in the front of the steps. Glaring at the closed doors he scowled, "They're hosting a ball … stay behind me and don't say anything, don't even breath."

Raven nodded as he dismounted and she followed after him, he stuffed his hand in his pocket, but not before taking off his mask … she could tell he was trying to be discreet as possible about that mask thing, but she spotted him anyway. Up the stairs they went and through the doors, the servants that stood and tried to stop them froze and bowed in respect as X just brushed passed them. Raven stayed close, but couldn't help to take notice of the very regal air, the place dripped of lavish things that probably coast way more than she did.

A grand staircase just off to their left lead up to some sort of indoor balcony with doors on either side, under the balcony was a long hallway that lead to the South Wing of the mansion. To their left was a room Raven guessed was living room or a parlor with another hallway probably leading to the West Wing because to their right as another room with another hallway that was the East Wing. Bottom line, the place was huge!

"Master Robin," Raven and X both turned around to the servant, her voice meek, like a little mouse with her hesitation to look into their eyes she blushed awkwardly and informed X, "Um … your … your family is in the Ballroom … entertaining the guests."

"What's the occasion?"

"Your mother and father's 21st Anniversary."

X snorted and before Raven could look up and see his face he turned away from her to glare down the East Wing hall, "Expected it to be bigger … somewhere else, maybe Europe."

"They wished to keep it small."

"Yeah right …" X walked towards the hall and Raven followed, leaving the servant girl to back down into her rank with the other maids, which immediately began to gossip about the sudden arrival of _"Master Robin"_.

Raven sighed, and looked down at her state of attire, a long sleeved skin tight blouse with the sleeves pulled down to the sides, black shorts with her trademark golden belt that had the red jewels on them hanging off her left hip. All toped off with every day converse sneakers, she prevented an embarrassed groan when she realized X was going to expose her to high-society just the way they were dressed, _Oh … I got a bad feeling about this._

In no time at all the murmurs and music from the Ballroom was becoming quite evident, and as Raven slowed down with X she glanced up at him and cringed at the two gold ring earrings on his left ear. She bet that wasn't protocol for an heir to whatever fortune his **parents** made. Then it hit her like a 16 wheel truck, _He's rich … and he has **parents **… what? _She herself couldn't believe it, it just came to her and it made her stomach lurch at the fact that she was going to met **Red X's _PARENTS!_**

It was hilarious … in a very … sick … twisted … way.

"X," Raven grabbed a hold of his elbow and jerked him to a stop. He didn't turn to face her and she knew why, but that didn't stop her from asking, "maybe this isn't such a good idea … I'll wait at the stairs."

"They'll find out about you sooner or later, might as well get it done and over with."

"Not like this!" Raven hissed, not wanting to be heard by the crowd of people she knew were not 5 feet away from them, "It's going to look bad if we **both **go in there. They might think … I don't know! Something bad!"

"Don't worry so much, the worst they'll think is that I got you pregnant or something."

"WHAT!" Raven slapped a hand over her mouth; she didn't expect herself to yell so loud or for her voice to echo even X cringed and a few people nearest the hall glanced at it in curiosity. Raven whispered harshly, not believing how he said that so casually! "Why would they think that!"

"Because I vanished for over a year and a half, long story, let's just do this it's not like you got anything else to loose."

"What if someone recognizes me?"

"Your hairs grown out, it's tied up in a ponytail and the lights dim enough to portray it as black."

"I have gray skin …"

"You're a witch, use magic, but we're going in there whether you like it or not."

He was determined to get through this … and Raven found that he wasn't going to change his mind, so sucking it up and trying not to look too out of place – which was impossible. X walked the five feet it took till he got to the Ballroom, and the moment he showed face the people standing close to the hall gasped in shock and it created an interesting wave of fascination.

Whispers circulated and sooner or later the music stopped.

Across the room was a beautiful couple, a woman with radiant looks that paled Raven in comparison to her, her skin naturally tanned and flawlessly silky. Her bright blue eyes seemed to glow under the lights of the Ballroom and her gown that accentuated her curves, bareback and trailing dark blue that highlighted her eyes. Her dark brown hair pulled in various perfect curls and pins still flowed along with her dress as it fell passed her waist and touched just beyond her bottom. Full lips, healthy flushed and perfectly made-up face, her lips parted and her face expressed sudden shock.

Her delicate hand rested on the man beside her shoulder as if to steady herself within the heels Raven knew she must have been wearing. The man … beautiful, handsome, however anyone would call him to be, he had incredible charm and charisma. His dark brown eyes and black, neatly gelled hair went perfectly well with his perfectly pressed tux … he was a looker, great posture, hell he had the air of a confidence in him – slight arrogance – but more positive confidence. He looked in the same direction as his wife, and Raven knew … the two **had **to be X's parents.

The man, narrowed his eyes on his son and discreetly, he sneered in disappointment, whispering to himself, "Well, well … what a coincidence … should I call this an unexpected gift … or unwanted trouble?"

"Leon," his wife whispered, pleadingly, yet warningly as she looked up at her husband with those deep blue eyes of hers, "please … don't start anything."

"That boy's nothing but trouble, Lola and you know it."

"But he's still **our **boy …" Lola confirmed and Leon shrugged in dismissal, as if it didn't matter and gestured for the music to keep playing and under their master's orders, it did.

The party commenced as if nothing happened, and X's dark look only grew darker as he slipped on his mask and turned away from the party, "See … you worry too much."

"That's it?" Raven glanced back at the Ballroom as X lead her back out into the parlor, "We stand there, music stops and that's it?"

"Yep …" he plopped down on the couch and slipped his hands under his head, seeming to be sleeping as he sighed heavily and stared at the ceiling, "Now we wait."

And wait they did …

Raven sat on one of the stools to the bar and couldn't help to stand when she found that the party was over because all the guests were leaving. Each one of the guests stared at her and X as if they were some kind of hoodlums that shouldn't be there … then turned their noses up and left the premises. It only took about 10 minutes until every single guest was gone and X's parents, walked right by them as if they weren't even there. Preferring to see their guests out, make final small talk, and finally closing the door … and that … was when the air in the mansion grew thick and un-breathable as X got to his feet and leaned on the thrush hold of the parlor.

Raven tried to stay out of the picture as she watched the father stand, patiently slipping his hands in his pocket, the mother clasp her hands in front of her. The three just stood there … silent … tense … and unbelievably cold. Maybe not from the mother, the mother suddenly cracked a hesitant smile as she walked up to her son who had grown passed her height even with her heels on. She stood before him and stared at him as if saddened that he had to wear a mask.

Then ... Raven had to wonder, _Does his family know who his alter ego really is?_

She kept the question to herself as herself as listened to Lola's kind - nearly hypnotic voice - whisper breathlessly, "Oh … Robin … it's been so long …"

Under the mask Robin glanced at his father and then rolled his eyes with a sarcastic scoff, "Apparently not long enough."

"Can somebody, _please_, explain to me," Raven took notice of the power behind the father's voice, it boomed around the echoing mansion and the servants standing before the door quivered at the threat of loosing their job behind such a voice, "how, **_he_** got in my home?"

Robin sneered, "Isn't it obvious? I came through the door."

The mother sensed a looming confrontation, "Robin, please."

The father's eyes pierced straight through his son's mask and pinned his soul to the far wall with a very hard look, "You can be sarcastic all you want, but you're not off the hook just yet for what you did awhile back. I'm just wondering what kind of an idiot would even come back after stealing from his own father's company. You're a disgrace."

"Hey," Robin held up his hands in mock defense, "I'm only human alright, and besides, you could always disown me. It'll be a lot easier to handle the press that way than to actually defend me."

"Robin," the mother intervened, "you're our only son, it's not easy to disown a child even still."

"Bullshit –!"

The father scowled, "Watch your mouth."

The son ignored him, "I bet you give that bastard over there the chance he'd have me thrown out in a second."

"You're damn right I will, as a matter of fact, call security! Get this street-rat out of my sight!"

"Leon! Robin! Stop this right now! This is ridiculous the way you two are acting! I will **not **have my family torn apart again just because of some silly mishap that happened over a year and a half ago!"

Robin sneered, "Sorry, Lola, but it's a bit late for the blood-is-thicker-than-water speech … that crossroad's come and gone."

Lola, surprised Raven when she turned on Robin and with her manicured nails, long and sharp she slapped her son across the face. **_SLAP! _**It didn't scratch him, but it left a very obvious red mark, he kept his head tilted, his breathing picked up and Raven could sense ... not sadness, embarrassment, or frustration ... but unbridled rage building up inside. Yet, when she looked at Lola, the mother was crying, full of regret and sadness … Raven felt her questioning her abilities as a mother. Questioning where she had gone wrong in the past as she cupped her son's face and had him look within her crying eyes, "Robin … I'm sorry I … **_we _**failed you … but despite what happens we'll always be here to help you. Don't **ever **think otherwise."

"…" it took a while for Robin to respond, but when he did, he pulled away from his mother and sighed, "I need a room … two actually, just until I can find another place … I won't be here too long."

Lola's hesitant smile returned and she walked back to her husband who looked off to the side and refused to look his son in the eye as Lola glanced at Raven and that was when her presence was finally acknowledged. Even Leon noticed and he had to raise a suspicions brow as Raven stepped into the light and Lola put a hand to her chest, "Oh … hello there … I'm sorry you had to witness all of this. Well … I'm Lola Xander, nice to meet you, and this is my husband Leon Xander …"

She held out her hand to shake, Raven found that she had to cross a world away to clasp hands with X's mother and actually get a chance to feel how soft her touch was. So delicate, Raven almost considered her to be made of glass as she pulled away and introduced herself as, "I'm … Raaaa … um … Rae … Rae Roth. It's nice to meet you Mrs. Xander."

Raven impressed herself at the quick save as she turned to Leon and took his hand, a firm grip, and sealing shake, he nodded at her, but still held that suspicious look, "What are you to Robin?"

She knew he'd ask that, keeping a cool head she answered calmly, "I'm just a friend."

Then, there was that smirk … Raven now found out where X got that cocky smirk of his, his father mimicked it so well it scared her as he chuckled the same way too, "My dear, any female that my son brings home is never **_just _**a friend to him. You don't have to be so modest."

In the back, X grumbled, "Why the hell is that everyone assumes every girl I'm with is my frickin' girlfriend!"

Taken back, Raven shook her head and assured Leon, "Oh-no, sir, I'm really **just **a mutual acquaintance, nothing more."

Then, it turned playful, and like that the air was cleared as Leon grinned, "So my son's not good enough for you, is that it?'

Lola giggled, X banged his head on the wall, and Raven's eyes bugged out, _This is not happening to me … this is seriously not happening to me! _"Mr. Xander, I assure you, I am in no way intimately related to your son, and neither am I looking for any such affection at the current moment."

"But you are considering right?" Lola giggled even more and Raven found it torturous the way they were teasing her.

"Uh …"

"Lola! Leon!" Finally X butted in, "Can we just have the rooms already! This isn't funny."

Lola laughed with her husband as she nodded and straightened, "Of course you can … Miss Roth can have the room right next to yours."

"… But the South Wing is supposed to be my entire wing …"

"Yes and you said so yourself, you won't be there for long, so … I don't see a problem."

"This is …" X somehow restrained himself from cursing and stormed towards the South Wing, Raven figured she should follow and did in a hurry considering X was taking rather big strides, "You're right … we shouldn't have come here."

Raven caught up to him and asked, "You stole from your father's company?"

"…"

"…Why?"

"… He deserved it." he said with much resentment.

Raven blinked, "Deserved it?"

"He's a greedy son of a bitch that thinks he's my father."

"… He's not your father?"

"Anyone ever tell you ask too many questions?" X came to a screeching halt in front of large dual doors, white with golden intricate designs of what appeared to be roses, leaves, and other rather feminine things. For a moment Raven questioned if this was really X's room, but when he opened it and waited at the thrush-hold, gesturing for her to enter. She knew it was hers, glancing at him with a bit uneasiness, sensing a sort of drowning sensation within his chaotic aura.

Raven slowly went in, but from the corner of her eye shot him a curious look, "You know … the apple never falls far from the tree …"

X scoffed, "But if the trees on a hill that apple can roll its ass **_far _**away … he's not my father, we're not staying long, so don't get too comfortable."

_Click!_

He closed the door and left her standing before a room that was fit for a princess … beautiful in every material sense. A bay window that looked over what Raven could only guess was a field … a few stables … she blinked and crossed the rather circular room to look out the window that reached the high dome like ceiling. Through the darkness she could make out the dim light of the horse stables … they raised horses! She wondered faintly if X knew how to ride … but found the question to be irrelevant to her situation.

Sitting upon the cushion of the bay window, she glanced over at the biggest bed that she has ever **_seen _**… she was for sure that there was none like it because it was **_in the ground_**, three flat steps needed to be taken in order to get to the silken sheets. Pillows surrounded the entire circular bed and Raven sighed, _It's beautiful alright … but it's cold … everything. _A white and gold and toffee and maybe a little cinnamon red here and there color theme made a futile attempt at warming the place … even **real** white lilies to help scent the room didn't help cover the fact that it was all a candy coating.

The silence …

The dead silence is what made the room feel vast and empty despite its well furnished state. Raven sighed again, and laid on the bay window, staring at the door across from her, feeling her eyelids growing heavy; she yawned and slowly drifted to a sleep that had eluded her earlier. Only, this time, around her neck a black mark started to appear … but only so faintly that it was hard to see with the human eye.

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: Don't own the Teen Titans, you know that already.**

**A/N: Sorry this took awhile, I had to revise the rest of the story – oh yeah, have I ever told you guys I always have chapters lined up and ready to serve for you? No? Well, you know now. So just keep those reviews coming and I'll keep working on the story, you all already know how much I love your comments.**

**XOXO**

**L8er daez!**

**(Oh and by the way … X's middle name is pronounced with a long 'e' sound and 'lie' ee-lie, just incase you didn't know, because I knew a guy once with this name – that's why I chose it to begin with I thought it was funny – they kept pronouncing his name wrong saying Ellie, instead of Eli. _Shrugs. _Whatever.)**

**L8er! **

**Oh yeah, and ... if things are getting boring or slow, please, don't hesitate to fill me in, because I get the feeling that I'm not ... _delivering _... as much as I should.;)**


	6. The Shade of Rispue Affairs

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Risque Affairs+**

"_When I asked to be taken_

a_nd shown another side_

_I never asked to be forsaken_

_Or thrown into a different ride …"_

_-Me!_

"Miss Roth … Miss Roth please wake up … Miss Roth …"

Raven groaned at the feel of soft hands pressed against her shoulder gently shaking her back into the real world sucking her away from her dark sanctuary … actually she was rather surprised she didn't have any nightmares. Surprised that she didn't wake up rattled and shaken, sweating bullets, or screaming for that matter … her violet eyes opened. Finding herself staring up into large doe brown eyes, caring and nurturing, young … as a matter of fact … she must have been the same age as herself. Wearing the classic French maid's uniform, the young woman wore glasses and her blond hair was pulled up into a neat bun.

Raven wouldn't have been surprised if that was the dress code along with the black stockings and black flats, slowly sitting up, Raven sighed and smoothed back her messy violet hair, and in a hoarse voice asked, "What time is it?"

"7:35 am Miss Roth, about half an hour before breakfast," informed the young maid.

"Breakfast?" Raven asked still trying to catch up with herself, not being a very good-morning person she leaned against the glass window, remembering that she had fallen asleep at the bay window. Glancing out into the sunny morning and hating how the sunlight shined through she turned away and instead glared at the ground, her appetite not even there, "I'm not hungry … but I guess it would be rude for a guest to skip out huh?"

The maid smiled shyly and nodded, "I suppose … if you would like to get ready, I took the liberty of putting all your things in order within the closet, just over there."

She gestured to the single door to Raven's left and Raven had to narrow her eyes in confusion, "My … things?"

"Yes," the maid nodded again, "I entered your room and found two suitcases and about four racks of clothing, and many shoes scattered among your room … oh … but, if you'd have rather done so yourself … or wanted to sort through anything to be sure if anything was missing, I could just –"

"No, no, that's … um … fine …" Raven blinked a few more times then shook her head, "but … I think you got the wrong girl… I should only have one suitcase. Those other things … I think they were a mistake, maybe they belong to the lady of the house."

The maid shook her head, "I assure you, they are all yours, it came with a note saying that it was gift _from_ the lady of the house … I suppose she likes you … she only gives lavishing gifts to those she sees deserving."

_Gifts … gee … I only come here last night and I'm already receiving gifts? _Raven got to her feet and gulped with an unsure sigh, "Um … okay … what kind of breakfast is this? Formal?"

"Casual."

"Thanks …" Raven made her way to the _"closet"_ and opened it to see it was a walk in and there was **no way in HELL **that there was only four racks of clothing sent to her! The room was about as big as maybe the Titan bathroom, maybe bigger … but it was filled with clothes and shoes and various other accessories any other normal girl would kill for! Big names in the fashion industry as well: Dior, Gucci, Versace, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, and everything in between! Now, Raven wasn't a fashion expert, but hell … she just felt this was all a little much. All she could say was: "Whoa …"

The maid, stepped in, as if unfazed by all the designer clothing and started to give Raven a tour of her own closet, "Over here is the casuals, over there are the formals, ball gowns, etc, and there are your semi-formals and –"

"I get it," Raven stopped her with a raise of her hand and massaged her temples to try and keep an approaching headache at bay, "where's the breakfast going to be?"

"Oh … um …" the maid walked out of the closet and pointed out the bay window, "You see that stable over there? The master is actually having a meeting with a few of his colleges about the business of his horses over there. Where there's this beautiful coy pond, the meeting will be over by the time we head out, but you must hurry. It's almost time."

"… Right …" Raven sighed again and leaned against the thrush-hold of the closet, "I'll be right out … just give me a minute."

"Of course, I'll be right outside waiting to escort you."

**((--The Hallway--))**

The maid stood out in the hall, hands clasped in front of her, her doe brown eyes trained to the marbled floor … until she heard footsteps coming from the young master's room. Now … she knew the rules … once she sees her better she is to greet them with a curtsy and that's what she did when the handsome young master looked her way. He was dressed in a raspberry pinstriped long sleeved button up with the top two left undone, even a dress black jacket, black slacks and matching shoes. Looking so professional and suave, his incredible onyx eyes narrowed on her and the maid's blush turned even darker.

Discreetly her hands clenched one another trying not to nervously fidget as the young master approached her. Slowly, purposefully, stalking her until he came up beside her and it was then that she realized just how intimidating his strong frame was. Gulping hard, but still trying to be discreet about her nervousness, she nearly jumped when she felt his breath on her skin as he whispered her name, "You're Camille … aren't you?"

"Ah …" she gasped her eyes bugged out behind her glasses and she shuttered with a weak nod, "Ye-ye-yes … Ma-Master Ro …"

"Hey, hey … relax cutie … I'm not gonna bite … at least not too hard …" Robin grinned and with his finger he turned her head up to look at him, her face totally red, her mouth fell agape at how close they were, she could smell him, fresh and oh-so tantalizing. Her nails were practically digging into the palm of her hands desperately trying to regain control, fearing that she would be fired if the master of the house caught her and his son in such a state. So close, his lips hovered over hers in a teasing sense as his hand gently went up to pull out the pin to let her hair fall from it's bun to mid-back.

She whimpered and closed her eyes when he ran his fingers through her hair, her head tilting back to follow his hand, biting down on her lower lip she let out a small hiss as his other hand found it's way to the back of her neck. Holding her head in place she released the tight hold on her hands and brought them up to rest on his chest, trying to feel his heart beat as she breathlessly whispered, "I'm … not sure … if this is right …"

"Shh …" he kissed her cheek and trailed down to the crook of her neck, "… most things in life aren't … but that's the fun of it …"

"Master Robin … I …"

_Click!_

Raven's door opened and Camille's eyes once again bugged out when she heard the door open and she let out a sudden yelp when Robin licked her flesh. Immediately pulling away from him and bringing her arms up to shield her still clothed body, yet feeling ever so exposed with her heated face and body. She stared at Robin's grinning face in shock, then at Raven's dry emotionless expression and turned and ran, yelling back, "I'm so sorry!"

Robin leaned on the wall next to Raven and slipped on his mask before Raven turned to him her stoic expression still set in place as she observed the triumphant smirk on the thief's face. Seeming as if he had just won a million dollars, she moved out into the hall and closed her door heavily. Nearly slamming it as she stuffed her thumbs in the pockets of her jeans, "Fraternization between master and servant … is it just me or isn't there a rule against that kind of thing?"

Robin snickered as he lead her towards the back patio in order to get to the coy pond next to the stables, "What? Jealous?"

"Not even in **her **dreams," Raven sneered and looked away from him, instead choosing to observe the massive home which Robin took her on a nonverbal tour of.

"Darn, I guess I gotta try harder next time huh?"

"Why waste your energy?" Raven glanced up at him through her combed violet hair that fell to cover her eyes. Jerking her head around to get the cowlick away from her line of sight into Robin's masked eyes, she tilted her head, "Honestly, if you're going to make a girl like me jealous, it's gonna take more than a servant to stir things up."

"Oh … I see your angle," Robin snickered and without expecting it, Raven suddenly found herself up against the wall with Robin's hands on either side of her hea, palms pressed flat against said wall. Looming over her and staring at her in an almost frightening determination he said, "games are above you, you like things to be more direct and … _aggressive … _I mean … you **are **a demon, right?"

He said it so casually … so nonchalantly … so … carefree … that it just pissed her off.

What the hell did he know about demons?!

Cold, cruel violet eyes glared into that mask of his; trying to control her rage, her frustration, her anger … Raven just couldn't understand what it was about this _bastard _that set her off on so many different levels it wasn't even funny! It was just … she found it odd that every little thing he did, every little move he made, every _word _that came out of his mouth impacted her so deeply it made her loose control. Now, Raven was a woman who prided herself in having complete and utter control over her life and especially emotions.

So every time he – Red X, Robin, whoever the hell he went by – found a new way to trigger the dark-side of her.

It pissed her off.

Not only because he found a weak-spot to her emotional control system.

But because she berated herself for even loosing to an idiot like him!

She wasn't aware of how long they were standing there … or how long she had been glaring at him, but she gasped when she felt his arm wrap around her waist. Melting her into his embrace, flush against his body with his breath hot her neck, a hand slyly slithered into her hair, twirling it and pulling her even closer, tilting her head back at just the right angle for him to hover just centimeters above her lips. Raven was stunned speechless … not because she was embarrassed or at how braver – or stupid – he was, or at his sudden aggression … but speechless from the overflow of intense forceful emotions pushed onto her.

They weren't hers … they were his.

And it wasn't anything like she was expecting.

It wasn't lustful or playful in anyway … it wasn't even arrogant or egotistical.

Despite his charming, mischievous smirk … Raven felt, deep down in the inner darkest corners of his heart … she experienced his life summoned up in one word.

Turmoil …

Like he was going through hell and there was no way out … he was drowning … slowly dieing … slowly loosing hope.

Why?

_Why … _she thought so faintly that she herself couldn't deduce whether or not it was really her own thoughts …

Distracted by thinking about his heart, the thief had made a move to close the gap and steal a kiss. However, underestimated her by thinking she was just another hormonally driven girl that couldn't resist being swept off her feet by a mysterious-mask-wearing charmer. The moment he crossed the line – well, he already crossed it – but the moment he went over the edge, she snapped back to her old self, gritting her teeth she growling, "Get your filthy hands off me, you deluded pervert!"

And life went on …

He laughed light-heartedly in her ear, "What makes you think I'm such a perv?"

"Well for one thing you were all **over **that **_girl!_** I'm not one of your victims!" Raven struggled free from his grasp and put a finger in his face. Shaking off the turmoil feeling in the pit of her gut, focusing on his cocky grin – but still finding it hard to concentrate on being mad – she pointed warningly and glared heatedly, knowing the perfect way out of her slightly dazed state of mind, she scowled, "Don't you **ever** touch me again, if you want to get off on anyone, go finish what you started with that **_maid _**I'm sure she'd **_love _**for you to chase after her."

Raven hated herself for saying it … it just made her sound jealous – which she wasn't!

Robin laughed again and leaned on the wall, crossing his arms over his chest he shook his head, "You're really unbelievable angel, truly something else."

Raven put her hands on her hips, the dark blue peasant blouse – hint: the irony – with the white laces on the edges of the long bell sleeves, glaring at the thief she scowled, "I don't see anything so funny about this."

"But it is! You really are jealous …"

"You're absurd! There's nothing I can or even **will **be jealous of!"

"Then why are you getting all worked up?"

"Because you're twisting everything I say to fit in with your ludicrous theories that I'm insecure when it comes to you and other women!" Raven huffed and shook her head, realizing just how stupid the conversation was she continued on down the hall, "I am not having this discussion with you."

Robin followed her, but only because he had to lead her to the picnic at the stables, hands in his pockets he strolled with her a teasing smirk on his face, "The only reason why I was on Camille was because I knew she was easily embarrassed and would have run away eventually even if you hadn't have come out. She would have shown you the wrong way to the stables … trust me … she's new."

"…" Raven ignored him and chose instead to occupy her attention with the marbled design on the floor, that is, until Robin lead her outside to the grand patio with stairs leading down to a large vast perfectly green courtyard. However, it wasn't out there that he was going to usher her through as he lead her down the flat Spanish steps, directing her to the stone steps just off to the right. The stone steps resting in a nest of pine trees that reached up so high it blocked out the sun giving it a very shady, very breezy stroll.

She felt it was supposed to be one of those places where time stood still if only for a second, she was familiar to it, the courtyard at Azarath's palace were pretty much the same. The illusion of tranquility in a chaotic per – er – world … Raven bowed her head to stare at the ground as she walked, _Turmoil … pain … suffering … what would _**he **_know about any of those … maybe I was just feeling myself and suspecting it was coming from him … _through the corner of her eye. She glanced up at the thief and didn't know that he was looking down at her under his mask … although … she felt that connection and immediately looked away.

There were things in life that were better left unknown.

X's past …

Was one of those things that Raven knew would destroy her if she knew about it.

Because then … she wouldn't be able to see him as an enemy anymore.

She'd see him as human … as a person she could possibly befriend and relate to … she'd see him as … touchable.

So … in away she preferred it when he was being a complete bastard … it helped her hate him even more … but then again … in the back of her mind there would always be that inevitable curiosity.

Before she knew it the stroll ended and they were coming towards two willow trees just off the side of the coy pond the maid was talking about. In between the two was a table with a beautiful white lace table top and Lola sitting with Leon both conversing and smiling happily. Obviously enjoying their little setting as a few servants stood here and there to tend to their every need. Then, Lola turned to them, her vibrant blue eyes and lovely face lighting up even more so as she watched her son and his friend walk up to the table, "So glad for the two of you to join us, granted 20 minutes late, but who's counting? Please, sit."

Raven reached out for her own chair, but Robin surprised her by pulling the chair out for her, eyeing him suspiciously she moved in and he pushed her chair in for her as she sat next to Lola. _He's acting … _Raven convinced herself to believe as Robin took his place next to Raven and since the table was in a circle he was next to his father … and between them a spark of immense tension lit up only **that **side of the table only. Apparently, Lola's determination to have this breakfast go smoothly was stronger to counter the animosity. Raven cleared her throat and tried to remember how to dine in the presences of high-class society.

It's been awhile, but she was pretty sure she remembered and grabbed her napkin, opening it and resting it gently upon her lap she glanced at Lola's hostess smile and opened her mouth, "Mrs. Xander … um … this is going to sound odd, but, the clothes in my room … were you the one to really give them to me?"

"Yes," Lola nodded, "I hope you approve, I tried to order things that were something close to what your sense of style was when I saw you last night. Not much of an observation, but I hope they are to your liking."

Raven hated it when the hosts were truly trying to be nice and not just faking it. It didn't help when she wanted to detach herself from their world. Nervously staring at the table, she looked back up at Lola and sighed, "It's not that I don't like them, I **_appreciate _**your kindness, but it's just … it's too much … we hardly know each other and –"

"Oh, please, don't be so modest!" Lola placed a gentle hand on her own and smiled brightly, "I wanted to do it … as an apology for what you had to see last night."

_Geez … this is X's mother? She's too nice! _Raven thought with an inward shrug as she nodded and decided to let the subject die as Leon gestured for the servants to bring in the breakfast meals. The food … despite Raven's lack of appetite was good. Even if she only just picked on it here and there to appease Lola so she wouldn't be so concerned.

_Breep!_

_Breep!_

_Breep!_

"Crap …" Robin mumbled to himself and got up from the table without excusing himself and answered a cell phone within his left jacket pocket, "Hello? … Actually, you did. … Now? Fine … just give me time to – hello?"

Leon glared at his son's disturbance, "Robin?"

Robin flipped the phone shut and just stood there for a second, putting the cell phone back in his pocket. He turned around and glanced at everyone in the table, lingering on Raven he smirked, but Raven knew it was fake as he walked up to her, "You ever been on a horse before?"

"Robin," Lola blinked at her son, "I don't think that's a good idea, she's not even dressed for that kind of activity, neither are you."

She was ignored, and Raven shot him a dry look, "Not Earth bound horses … but I understand the similar concepts. Why?"

He held out his hand for her to take, "Wanna go for a ride?"

Lola stood up, "Robin! She just ate, give her time to settle."

Raven tilted her head, "I think you should listen to your mother."

"Don't be such a stiff," he grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet and practically dragged her towards the stables. Raven let out an annoyed growl, but followed anyway, figuring she'd get some answers to that suspicious phone call if they were alone.

Lola was going to follow them to stop them, but Leon stopped her, "Leave them alone Lola, you know that boy doesn't give a damn what we tell him anymore."

"But don't you think it's kind of odd he pulled her away from the table after a phone call? What if he's in trouble?"

Leon sighed, "He played a prank on the Dago Family and came here because of it, I think that's trouble enough for now."

Lola put a hand to her heart and sat back on her chair in defeat.

Walking up to the stables, Raven skeptically eyed X, "Okay, what was with the phone call?"

He shook his head "No –"

"Yo! Rob!" up at the stables Otto waved them up and Raven figured that it was Otto that called X as he gestured for them to hurry, they did. At least Raven did, but as she did hurry she felt a sudden prick in the back of her neck.

"Ah …" stopping, not because it hurt, but just because she didn't expect it and shot a hand to the back of her neck, rubbing it she pulled her hand back to see if it was bleeding … but nothing.

X stopped beside her and raised a curious brow, "Something wrong?"

"No … I just thought I felt a bee sting …" Raven shrugged.

X snorted, "Probably just your imagination, there's not a bee in sight, come on."

Raven chose to ignore him and continued to rub the back of her neck as she entered the stables where Otto smirked, "Well if it isn't my favorite couple, having fun at the getaway palace?"

"Shut up," X sneered, "what do you want?"

"Tada! I think I found the antidote to the Elixir in her system, but the only way to find out for sure is if I test it … the worse that could happen is she passes out. Check it out!" From his pocket he pulled out a hypodermic needle and handed it to X. Raven stared at it for a moment and suddenly her vision doubled, the world spun out and she couldn't make heads or tails with up and down. Falling onto one of the horses' gates, the horse inside reared up and let out a frightened shriek.

The rest of the horses followed when Raven slid to the floor and held both her hands to her neck … that leash … it tightened again … and it was hurting so badly it wasn't even funny! Coughing, trying to breath, feeling the fire returning, she felt someone's arm wrap around her waist to hold her up. The voice of Otto echoed in her head, "Give me the needle Rob …"

Numb … so numb … she felt nothing, but sensed the needle pierce her arm … chocking, Raven's eyes rolled back as she fell limp in whoever's arms she was in, _"Tired my dear?"_

Raven didn't want to, she didn't want to open her eyes … didn't want to see the darkness she knew she was in … trapped with her father … she didn't want to open her eyes. So she laid still, on the cold unforgiving ground, curled up trying ever so hard to hide the black collar around her neck, trying to pull it off. No use … it was her brand and her father knew it, she whimpered weakly, "Stop it … _please!_ Leave me alone!"

"_You know I can't do that … what kind of father would I be to leave my child alone in such a cruel world?"_

He was mocking her, "You're twisted!"

"_I'm a demon … and my dearest daughter … so are you, it pains me to see you keep your full potential locked away so tight, just because you're afraid of it …"_

"…"

"_Daughter. Look at me when I'm talking to you!" _suddenly yanked to her feet and forced to stare at her father, with his powers alone he dragged her closer to him and up to his level, his heated red eyes demanding something of hers that she could never give without being forced, _"No child of mine shall know fear or deny her heritage. You're a demon … start acting like one!"_

He threw her back and she was knocked out of the darkness, back into reality … yet … not completely … her eyes bled over pitch black, and her aura erupted in a frightening display of power. The stable shook, the horses whined in fear, going crazy trying to escape the evil that was born within their home. X and Otto backed up, X taking a fighting stance, startling Otto, "Man, what the hell are you doing? The-the antidote, it'll take affect soon! If it doesn't work she'll just pass out, I promise!"

"It's not going to work Otto, just get down somewhere and **stay **down. Let me handle this." Raven floated off the ground, staring at X she watched Otto make a run for the exit, she held out a hand to slam the doors shut, but much to her utter surprise her powers weren't working. Although she was floating she allowed Otto to get away and changed her target on X who carefully maneuvered around her to give himself a little more room to deal with her, "Alright Angel, here's the deal … unless you want to wake up tomorrow with a major migraine, control yourself."

His warning was lost in translation as she floated back down to the ground and with unnatural speed she rushed X and with an open palm she slammed it into his chest. Or at least, would have, if he hadn't have side-stepped her and jammed his knee into her gut winding her and dropping her on her hands and knees. The move should have been enough to knock her out, but in her state of mind, she was back on her feet and squaring off with the nimble thief.

Back flipping to avoid a kick to her side of her head, Raven stayed crouched on the ground and glared at X who showed no sign of backing down. Rushing him, she swept the floor from under him, but he jumped and dodged a kick to his side then leaned back when she went in for a punch. Only before she pulled away he grabbed her wrist and yanked her off balance, for a moment staring at her nails he realized that she wasn't trying to punch him.

Her nails were long and sharp … claws … she was going to surgically remove his face!

Movement, her other hand tipped and pointed she thrust it forward to stab into his chest, but he grabbed that hand and twisted her around so her back was against his chest and her arms were crossed in front of her. She hissed and X got a perfect glance at the glistening pearly white fangs in her mouth, "Ooo-kay … you asked for it."

Spinning her out like a ballroom waltz, it was anything but as he pulled her back and harshly kicked the side of her head. Letting her go and watching her skid across the stable grounds till she came to a stop and stayed still for a good minute. X sighed in relief and walked up to her as Otto poked his head back into the stables, "Is it over?"

"Just … stay out there for a sec Otto," X gestured and knelt next to Raven … reaching out to feel her pulse, he stilled when she groaned and brought a hand – a non-clawed hand – up to feel the side of her head.

"Ooo … my head …"

X chuckled, "I tried to warn you Angel."

Raven's violet eyes turned up to X's masked face and she frowned as she tried to sit up, but cried out in more shock then pain when her abdomen protested the movement, "Ah …! Wha-what happened …?"

"Oh, you kind a flipped out on me is all."

"…" Raven tried to sit up again and this time with the help of X did she actually get on her feet, which was when she remembered, "Otto … where's –"

"Right here," Otto walked in and Raven was relieved to see that she hadn't have hurt him … not exactly remembering what really happened, she just knew if it took X to bring her down hard, then she must have been dangerous enough to kill. Otto snickered, "Okay … that's the last time I guess if anything works … I'm still trying to find that antidote … I'll be back to check on things. Sorry for the trouble."

X sneered, "Just get out of here before anyone sees you."

"Going."

Otto left, and Raven looked herself over, "I'm a mess …"

"That's nothing; we'll just say you fell off the horse."

Raven shot him a dry look even in her state of confusion, "Most unlikely, if riding a griffin is anything the same as riding a horse then I **highly **doubt I would fall."

X tilted his head curiously, "Those things exist?"

"… Most things in life do …" Raven answered cryptically and was about to exit the stables but sensed X wasn't following her. Turning around to find him no where near her, in fact he was going over to one of the horses cages trying to steady its crazed state of mind. Raven frowned and crossed her arms over her chest, "What are you doing?"

"I told Lola that we were going to ride … might as well stick to the story."

Raven jerked her head back, "Wait … wha …?"

Back down at the pond, Lola sipped her tea wearily, never minding the taste as she stared at the waters to try and calm herself down as she worriedly glanced up at the stables. Her husband across from her working on what looked to be a crossword puzzle in the newspaper, she sighed and put her tea down, "Leon, they've been gone for an awfully long time … should we check them? Maybe something happened …"

"Mm-hm … that's lovely dear," Leon said absentmindedly, Lola narrowed her blue eyes on her husband as he finally looked up and asked, "What is the term used to express a cute sort of pain that leaves you breathless?"

Lola rolled her eyes exasperatedly and turned back to stare at the rippling water, "A crush."

Leon blinked then looked down and counted the boxes with the letters then nodded in approval and wrote it in the slot. Lola shook her head and to quench her worries she drank her tea, that is, until she heard the faint sound of galloping hooves. Looking up, even Leon looked up and expressed impressiveness when he saw Raven on a horse, controlling it and racing his son across the field, "Well … now would you look at that … see, nothing to worry about."

Lola's worries escaped her as she watched her son maneuver his horse to circle Raven, looking like he was having so much fun she sat back in her chair, and smiled, "I guess he was probably just teaching her how to ride … she looks like she's fallen off on more then one count."

"Fallen?" Leon scoffed, "She rides like a pro!"

"Well something must have happened because she's – oh my!" Lola leaned on the table. Her blue eyes twinkling like every time she gossiped about something she's just figured out, Leon humored her and listened as she whispered – even if the need wasn't necessary, "You don't think that Robin's actually courting her do you?"

Leon's shoulders slumped as he eyed his wife seriously, "Lola, we **are **still discussing the same Robin here, correct?"

"I don't know," Lola placed a hand to her heart as she turned to watch her son trot next to Raven who seemed to give him a sort of mysterious smile. Her long violet hair cascading down the length of her back and her violet eyes twinkling under the bright sunlight, Lola giggled, "it's been a year or so Leon … things change … maybe he has."

"Not this boy."

"He's 19, Leon."

Leon raised a brow, "Really? I thought he was 16 … I suppose we should tell him about the Annual Celebration of Worlds gathering tomorrow."

Lola shook her head and stood up from the table, flagging the couple over with a napkin, Raven noticed and gestured for Robin to turn around, "You think they bought the act?"

Robin smirked, "Yep … and now you'll be invited … let's go."

Raven jerked her head back, "Invited? To what?"

"The Annual Celebration of Worlds tomorrow, where the Who's-Who and the Filthy Rich will be there to gossip about the death of Raven the Teen Titan."

"A Celebration?" Raven narrowed her eyes in suspicion, "Would that mean you'll have to take off your mask?"

Robin chuckled, "Not really … the party's always a masquerade."

Raven rolled her eyes when he began to laugh at her disappointment, "How convenient."

"Don't cha think?"

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but Leon, Lola, Otto, Jamie, and Camille I do own … and the poem above is mine as well, but other than that I don't own the Teen Titans**

**A/N: AAAAHHHH!!!! I would have honestly updated this sooner, but stupid fanfiction was being an ass and ... O.o ... you know what, I'm not going to stress over it, but, because I feel crappy about leaving you guys for a while, I'll spoil you and say, the Titans second debut within this story is coming up … but it's not who you think and don't worry X doesn't like Camille, I just thought it would be funny to put in that little scene to express how **_risqué _**X can be. Besides … with X's character in the series he just struck me as the type to cause trouble that way. Oh … yeah … and the antidote part, keep that in mind because it'll pop up again.**

**So, feedback appreciated, luv ya!**

**L8er daez!**


	7. The Shade of Discarded Opportunities

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Discarded Opportunities+**

"_I am, what I am … you are … what you're not."_

_Shane (My brother)_

_Click!_

_Crrreeeeeeeeek …_

"Ma-mas-master … Ro-Rob-Robin …?"

"…"

"Master …?"

"…"

The maid gulped and stepped into his dark, cold room … his curtains drawn to cover the sunlight, the maid shuttered in fear … she was new, recruited the same day as Camille was … and the stories she heard about the young master. About Robin were slightly disturbing … like … how he had a **very **mean temper when awoken from a deep slumber. Or about when she heard he held no shame when it came to _"confronting" _female servants/maids of the household. Notoriously charming and handsome, this maid feared that she wouldn't be able to resist his advances. However … it was still her job to take care of him … so as she called out to him again at the same time as she closed the door, she'd realize that it would become one of the most frightening events in her entire life as a maid working for the Xanders.

"Master … Robin … it's time to get up …"

_Crrrrrreeeeek …._

_Click!_

_**SLING!**_

_**SLING!**_

_**SLING!**_

_**TH-TH-THUMP!**_

"AH!" the maid yelped when she felt the wind literally cut so close to her and the thumping noises she heard behind her … too afraid to open her eyes she shook in utter fear … never moving.

Even when she heard the young master's surprisingly menacing growl in the dark … she almost expected to see his eyes glow as she felt his intense gaze on her, "Let's make one thing clear. I fell asleep at 5 in the fucking morning … you're waking me up at _**7 am **_… now unless you don't want to loose your job … _**leave …**_"

The maid screamed and faster than she could count to three she was out of there … she never even took notice of the three x blades embedded into the door as she slammed it shut and ran down the hall. Fearful for her life, she nearly ran into another body in the middle of the hall … that particular body being Raven. The Titan watched stoically as the maid rounded the corner and continued to run, with a raised brow, Raven glanced at the opposite direction where the maid came from and she frowned, _X's room … _she thought.

Walking over to it ever so slowly she reached the door and without shame or fear she turned the knob and entered the surprisingly dark dwelling. Closing the door behind her she used her power as a half-bred demon to scan the darkened room. She found X sitting at the edge of his bed hunched over with his elbows on his knees and his bed-hair dangling to cover his face. However … when he looked up at her … she was shocked to discover that he wore _glasses! _She could make out the outline of the lens, oval shaped, slender and sleek, sly and cunning with no frame at all around them. Thin enough to only go around his cat like eyes, he seemed to be scowling and Raven also discovered that the thief had a bad-temper when his sleep was disturbed.

Also … since it was dark, he obviously could not recognize the fact that she wasn't his maid anymore as he growled, "I told you to _**leave, **_I don't give a damn if it's your fucking job to take care of me, I don't need anyone's help! GO, DAMNIT!"

Raven tilted her head as he stood up … he wasn't wearing a shirt so he exposed his well toned body and a slight stumbled walk. He was obviously still in a daze as he marched up to her and he wasn't stopping, Raven leaned against the door and never flinched when he slammed a hand on said door. Making it quite obvious that he was in **no **playful mood as he leaned down to her level, the angle of the dimly lit room caught his glasses causing a glare just white enough to blind her from seeing his eyes.

A cruel sick twist of fate as he continued on his pissed off rant, "Are you hard of hearing or something? I said GET OUT!"

Raven decided to let herself be known to the tired thief as she reached out a hand to the near by light dimmer, pushing it up to the maximum level so they could reveal themselves under the florescent glow of artificial light, she sneered, "I may be hard of hearing … but at least I'm not blind … unlike **some **people …"

Realization sank into this onyx eyes as he stared at her wide-eyed and much to Raven's surprise … X looked **way **more intimidating with glasses than without. Because … with his glasses on, he seemed more refined, more together and organized, cunning and intelligent. Like a cat with a plan. Even with his shocked expression … he looked amazing. Pulling away from her, he straightened up and with a finger pushed up his glasses as if to ponder about the sudden string of events.

Still staring at her as if she was a dead relative risen from the grave, Raven noticed his face turning pink and before she could deduce if he was blushing or not he turned his back on her and scoffed, "Oh … great … just what a need, you knowing what I look like … this is just fuckin' spectacular!"

Raven crossed her arms over her chest and blinked, "Of all the secrets that I could ever find out … who would have ever thought the great Red X wears glasses … hah … how … **interesting.**"

He looked over his shoulder his onyx eyes staring straight into her violet eyes through his glasses and he rolled his eyes, "Whatever … what do you want anyway? Can't you see I'm a bit busy?"

The Titan glanced at the door to notice the three X blades and shook her head, "I came here wondering about the maid that had run screaming away from this room … but now I can see why …"

"If she knows what's good for her she better find a safer job … serving the Xander's isn't exactly something to be proud of …" he sighed and Raven stayed in spot just watching him walk over to the door that was apparently to his closet where he'd pick out a plain black t-shirt and changed his black dress pants to regular dark blue jeans. Of course Raven didn't see, but when he stepped out … Raven was blown away by the incredibly intimidating aura he set off when wearing those glasses.

Why …

If she didn't know any better, Raven was pretty damn sure she'd have mistaken him to be someone else other than the cocky thief she knew and loathed.

Because … just now … he really did look like a son born into riches, rather than a ruffian who got his kicks off steal priceless artifacts.

Even the twin earrings on his left ear didn't hinder his refined posture.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets and shrugged, as she blinked away from him saying, "So I guess that's why you harass the staff around here? To get them to leave? Not exactly a very trustworthy approach to saving someone's life … but then again … I have reached a realization that when it comes to saving lives … you really have no clue what to do."

"That's not exactly it …" he scoffed and walked up to her, smoothing back his dark hair having just the right amount fall over his glasses as he smirked … and again … Raven felt a pang of intimidation. There was something about his natural look that made everything he did multiplied 10 fold, "… I have a reputation to protect … I can't exactly go around defending people that bring no merit to me …"

_No … merit … _Raven bowed her head to stare at the ground for a moment, taking in that last comment of his, bringing a hand up to place it on her face feeling herself becoming more and more annoyed at the comment, _… everything he does … is for his own gain … I know that well enough … so why does it sound so … fake …. _She closed her eyes … and knew why.

It was because of the darkness he held that he didn't know she knew about.

That … turmoil within his heart …

Whatever it was about … she knew that was the real him.

So everything else he said … everything he did … suddenly dawned on her … it was all a lie.

She looked up at the thief who came closer to her and taking a deep breath she opened his door and stepped out, leaving him with one final thought, "If helping people bring you no merit … then what makes me so special … if you claim that you're doing this all out of the goodness of your heart?"

"… You're a possible ally that I was hoping I could have." he answered sincerely.

But it was a lie.

Raven frowned and closed his door behind her; _Some things are better left unknown … _

She took a step away from said door, but stopped when it opened and looked over her shoulder to see X coming out with a suggestion, "Let's go into the city."

Raven blinked, _City?_

**((--Steel City--))**

"Look, it's either that, or you shop with Lola for a dress," X scoffed and pushed his glasses further up his face, "and trust me … she's worse than Jamie."

Raven rolled her eyes and crossed her arms as she walked side-by-side with him along the most expensive part of Steel City … where the designer wear was found, just right off the bay area too. It reminded her so much about Jump City … and as a matter of fact … she was pretty damn sure that Jump wasn't too far from where they were now. After all … it was a drive away. Plus … the Titans East were here! Raven sighed and ran her hands through her hair deciding it was best to just ignore that little fact and answered X, "Maybe so … but, I'm not a great big fan of large gatherings. I woke up this morning with every intention of telling your father that I wasn't going to go."

"Why not?" he asked genuinely glancing down at her from the corner of his eye, "It'll be fun to hear what the world has to say about your death … haven't you ever got a kick out of doing a little espionage?"

"This isn't espionage … it's a lie," Raven sneered, but then shrugged, "then again … with my condition I think it's better that no one knows who or where I am at the moment."

She froze when she felt his arm wrap around her shoulder to pull her close to him as he chuckled, "That's the spirit! What's so hard about seeing the good side of life … sure she can be a bitch, but what the hell, we live with it right?"

"Arm … off. **Now."** Raven growled and X immediately removed his arm and stuffed his hands within his pocket.

"Besides … Leon's overseas at Japan where he was invited to some kind of Charity Event."

"Charity?" Raven repeated only half interested as she scoffed, "Somehow I get the feeling it's more than that going on."

X smirked and nodded, "And you'd be right … this is the only time he'd be able to introduce an international business merger with the Ootori and Suou companies and snatch up a few shares before anyone else figures out that the economic value of exchange in culture is rather … _promising._"

Raven blinked and gave X a long hard look … because … for a split second there … he sounded like a **real **business inheritor.

It almost creped her out when he looked down at her and grinned his onyx eyes glimmering with so much … mischief, secret, and … _**power **_it nearly unnerved her. Sure she now understood that X came from a prestigious family, and she always knew that X was smart … but … she never took him to be so calculating. She sighed tiredly and turned away, thinking to herself sarcastically as she ran her fingers through her violet hair once more. Just now discovering that it was becoming a most unwanted habit where the thief was concerned, _Frightening … truly frightening …_

The Thief chuckled, knowing full well that he had totally caught the Titan off guard with his background, then shrugged and sighed, coolly suggesting, "Look, we didn't have breakfast, whaddya say we go grab something to eat?"

The Titan was lost in thought …

Raven looked off to the smooth, crystalline water knowing that somewhere beneath the cliff of the beach shore Titans East Tower was located. The blue and white structure … made more sense than yellow and black; she faintly had to wonder why Robin had to choose those off colors … right along with orange and black. Halloween colors and the colors of a bee that she thought belonged to Bumble Bee's signature.

Bumble Bee …

Speedy …

Aqualad …

And the Twins … Mas y Menos …

She wondered if Jinx joined their team, ever since she heard the story of Jinx being granted clemency because of Kid Flash fighting for her right as a hero to the modern world. Raven knew for a fact that Jinx wanted to follow along side Kid Flash and tour the world with him … how she knew? Jinx told her as she spent the one night over at Titan Tower. The pink sorceress had a sort of crush on the Kid Flash … but Raven knew it was a foolhardy relationship. Kid Flash hated commitment as much as he hated going at a snail's pace.

He was a flirt.

Jinx was just a girl he could have a little fun with for the moment then when he got bored he'd leave.

Although … Raven wasn't trying to peg him to be as much of a bastard as X beside her was, no, Kid Flash had … more … more … the violet sorceress smoothed back her hair _(again) _and sighed. She didn't know how to explain Kid Flash … but he **was **… _"different" _than X to say the least.

Why the hell was she even comparing a Titan to a Criminal anyway?

Of course her lot was far different than that of Red X, the thief had no class, no morals … but then again, Raven would be lying to herself if she tried to convince herself that X was all she had thought. Because, whether she liked to admit it or not, X wasn't all that … that bad of a guy, he was courteous when the time came to be, he had beliefs, morals, and … and he class. He was an heir to a business fortune! Of course he'd have class! Although, it still grated on her nerves to give him that credit, but Raven had tried not to make it a habit of lying to herself, especially where other people were concerned.

Speaking of other people …

"Hey, angel, I'm not talking to a wall."

Raven blinked and looked back up at the thief never noticing that he had asked a question, or even realizing that he had spoken to her at all! Being in Steel City … it just sent her into a daze … after all … for the past few days she hadn't seen her friends, so being so close to them now. It had a very strong affect on her, and obviously it was showing, she gulped and bit down on her lower lip, "Um … what did you say?"

He gave her a dry look, then rolled his eyes behind his glasses and took a hold of her hand in much the same manner as he did back at the Shopping Center. Gently, "Come on … we're going to get something to eat."

He pulled her after him she followed without much protest just staring at their linked hands …

The memory of when Robin had held her hand just before she went on to become her father's portal came back to her. That soft, caring, pleading smile of his begging her to believe him, to trust him … to do anything but leave his and the rest of their friends' sides. She closed her eyes then remembered just before the explosion in Slade's hideout, when she looked into his masked eyes and that pleading expression was there again. Only multiplied 10 fold, he reached out a hand to help her … but was swept away by Starfire before the fire reached him.

Raven sighed and reopened her eyes to find herself in a café with X leading her to a chair and she realized that this was a café where servers came to them. He sat across from her, but didn't stay long as he looked beyond her to the street and glared, "What the fu – oh hell no! That bastard owes me money! I'll be right back – hey! You! Get you ass over here!"

Raven watched as he stormed out of the café after the young man that went running down the street away from X. The sorceress was not at all affected by the sudden rude behavior of the thief, it was to be expected, so she sat at their table and waited till their server came up to her with a smile, "Hi, I'm Lisa and I'll be your server for the day … so … can I get you something to drink first?"

"Herbal Tea," Raven replied and the girl jotted it down on her notebook then nodded.

"Okay, I'll be right back then."

Leaving Raven to her lonesome …

Meanwhile …

Walking down the street, dressed in a dark blue t-shirt and a light blue outside unbuttoned collared shirt with khaki cargo pants, orange red hair and casual light blue eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses, strolling the strip with his partner. The shoulder length pitch-black hair and dark shark black eyes both lean, fit, and hott as hell, the one with the black hair sighed, "Seriously Roy, what's the point in being a hero at all if all you're going to do is sneak away from your duty … you know Bee's doing to be pissed."

Roy Harper, AKA Speedy scoffed, "You know what, _**Garth, **_if you really didn't want to come, then you didn't have to."

Garth O'Riley, AKA Aqualad narrowed his gaze on the nonchalant Roy then growled, "You **dragged **me with you! How the hell can you just say that I didn't have to come! Besides, if I'm going to have to take any crap from Bee then you're going down with me!"

Roy dug his pinky into his ear, "Alright, alright, I heard you, now quit yelling in my ear ya spaz and let's get something to drink. Just listening to you drone makes me thirsty."

Garth grumbled under his breath about how unbelievably arrogant his teammate can be, however, with a defeated huff Garth followed the one-tracked mind Speedy into a café that was known for it's delicious substances. Walking right up to the counter to order up, they placed their orders and were told to wait a moment … and as they did wait, Roy's eyes wandered. Sighing in boredom as he looked over the small crowd of people taking it all in and just mildly enjoying his self-appointed day off, he blinked when his eyes caught the flicker of long violet hair.

He raised a brow as his sights were set on a young woman sitting by herself, drinking some kind of tea; leg's crossed seemingly comfortable within her own little world. Roy's brows came together as his eyes narrowed on the woman … she looked so … _familiar._ But … she couldn't be the person he was thinking about … that person died just a week or so a go. Although … this girl … the way she sat up regally, the way she moved commanded authority and that cold frosty look in her violet eyes demanded respect.

Now … Roy may have not known Raven all that much … but he knew about her well enough to understand that she was a serious chick. One not to be taken lightly despite her petit figure. Short she was, and silent, always wearing dark colors blending into the background and keeping out of sight most of the time. Only coming into the light to voice her opinion on certain matters … and sarcastically sadistic, Roy understood that Raven was no girl to mess with.

But just the same as Robin …

Roy had to admit …

He had doubts that such a powerful member of the Teen Titans could seriously be gone.

Roy nudged his partner's side to gain his attention, Garth shot him an annoyed look, "What?"

"Check her out," Roy nodded his head to the violet haired girl and Garth – for a split second – thought the same thing as his self-absorbed friend, "remind you of someone?"

Garth glanced down at Roy then scoffed, "Knock it off Roy, don't even joke like that. She could probably just be a big fan of the color violet or … something."

"Like hell, you were thinkin' it to," Roy snickered then dusted off his shoulders, "I'm gonna say hello, don't wait up."

"Wha – ! No! Roy! Wait! Damn it …" Garth cursed as he pulled himself back away from his friend who had already made a dash across the café to say hi to the girl with the violet hair who Garth couldn't lie. She looked so much like Raven the Sorceress.

Raven took another sip of her herbal tea, but nearly chocked when she felt an extremely familiar presences come rushing up to her. Looking up just as the boy had slowed down to a casual cool walk towards her, he pulled off his sunglasses and winked at her, "Hey, you seem lonely, mind if I join you?"

She gulped, _Oh … my … god … Speedy … _Raven blinked, despite her utterly shocked and butterfly filled gut, her face remained stoic as she smoothed back her violet hair and tilted her head, "I'm sorry, but a friend of mines will be back soon."

Roy shrugged and grabbed the seat across from her, "But he's not here now," without fear he sat and leaned on the table, "so … what's to worry about?"

"… How do you know my friend's a he?" Raven frowned not liking how arrogant Roy was … it reminded her too much of a certain _**someone **_who wasn't there at the moment.

He chuckled, "Because … as fine as you are I highly doubt you don't have a boyfriend yet."

"If that's so, then why take the chance of talking with me?" Raven raised a brow and Roy shrugged.

"You gave me the chance to sit, mind if I ask your name?"

"Not important, you'll have forgotten me before too long."

"Never took you for the hard-to-get type."

"You don't know me …"

Garth sipped his drink and frowned with a shake of his head, _This is dumb! What the hell is Roy thinking anyway? Raven's dead, however unfortunately true that is … why can't he just let that go … why can't Robin let that go and return to his team? _It was no secret that Robin had really – well – just vanished three days after Raven's death and never came back. Garth crossed his arms over his chest and sighed, _Roy … you can really be annoying at times, _the door into the shop opened and out of utter boredom and curiosity he looked and spotted a glasses wearing dude walk in.

Average in appearance … but with a striking aura that radiated power, he pushed up his glasses and stopped, staring at … Garth followed his line of sight and bit down on his lower lip, _Crap … he's probably that girl's boyfriend._

Roy smirked and reached over the table to take a hold of Raven's hand, "Aw, come on, what's it gonna hurt? Just a little walk around the strip, I can show you around."

"…" Raven just stared at his hand, then pulled it away and stood up when she felt **him **approach, "I think it's time you leave."

She turned her back and marched up to X, sensing he wasn't going to stop, that he was going to confront Roy, she threw out her arm and wrapped it around his waist to stop him, to hold him back and push him back out to the exit. Unknowingly her efforts to keep any kind of conflict from happening pushed up her blouse to expose her lower back and Roy's eyes narrowed, while Raven whispered low enough for only X to hear, "Let's go … X …"

He muttered, "Who's your friend?"

Raven closed her eyes and pushed with much more effort, "… Nobody … now let's go …"

Behind the glare of his glasses, he stared at Roy who had propped his head in the palm of his hand and sighed as he watched the girl and her boyfriend walk out of the shop. He closed his eyes and Garth came his way, taking Raven's seat he glared at Roy, "You can be a real ass sometimes."

"Yeah … maybe …" Roy opened his eyes and looked at Garth with a serious face, "but it's her Garth … Raven … she's still alive …"

Garth blinked … then glanced over his shoulder just in time to catch a glimpse of the violet haired girl and her boyfriend vanish just out of his sight, then he returned his glare on Roy, "Before you go off making such assumptions mind sharing with me what your proof is to that bold claim?"

Roy smirked, "Her lower back … she had the same tattoo Raven has … and trust me … no one but the Titans know she has it so it's impossible for any _'fan girl' _to copy her trademark."

"You idiot!" Garth shot up and attracted the attention of the rest of the shop, "If that was her then why did you just let her g – AH!"

Roy grabbed the collar of Garth's shirt and pulled him down to the table, "Shut-up you spaz! Or would you like to have the rest of the frickin' underground know what we know!"

Garth pushed him off and hissed, "But still! We have to follow her … whoever she's with … who the hell was she with anyway?"

It dawned on Garth on just why Roy had let her go.

They both didn't know who the glasses-guy was … therefore … it would have been foolish to go after him; it suddenly made a whole lot of sense to Garth. Why he felt his aura was so powerful … he wasn't just **any **guy. Calming down, he glanced back at Roy who had gotten to his feet and the two of them both headed out of the café, Roy stuffing his hands into his pocket, "She said she was here to cruise the city and check it out with her _'friend' _but I bet she's going shopping."

Garth's expression turned deadpanned, "Eh … do I even **want **to know how you know that kind of thing? And this is still the same Raven we're talking about right? Isn't she … like … anti-shopping?"

"Yeah," Roy shrugged, "but she's out on the town with a _**guy **_… they're either on a date or looking for something. She's not a girl to cruise."

"Alright … so how do we find them?"

"They went that way right?"

"I guess …"

"So let's go that way then genius!"

Garth sighed exasperatedly, "Your navigational skills never seize to amaze me …"

**((--))**

Raven growled and moved away from the rack of clothing to glare at X who was waiting just next to the entrance of the store they had entered, arms crossed head bowed, eyes closed and waiting, Raven scowled. He looked more like he was sulking and she was going to find out why, marching up to him she snapped him out of his state, "Alright, what's going on? Why are you sulking?"

He snapped open his onyx eyes to glare at her as he growled, "I'm not sulking."

"Then why are you pouting? You haven't been acting obnoxious since we left the café …" Raven scoffed and put a fist on her hip, challenging his glare with her own she watched as he snorted, pushed off the wall and stretched as he changed the topic.

"You found a dress yet?"

Raven wasn't going to let him get off so easily … as a matter of fact … she was going to play him at his own game, "Are you jealous?"

He froze then shot her a bewildered look, which Raven just held a strong stoic expression and crossed her own arms over her chest, X scowled, "I don't get jealous."

"Figures," Raven rolled her eyes and turned away from him, but her eyes bugged out when he grabbed her wrist and yanked her back to him, causing her to stumble and fall into his arms.

She put her hands on his chest with the intention of pushing him away, but he held her close and with a dangerous look in his eyes he leaned down and whispered into her ear, "I get what I want."

His grip on her tightened momentarily before he completely let her go and pushed her back into the store, Raven nearly couldn't steady herself, still in shock from hearing such words come from his mouth. Sounding so threatening … and not even the funny-ha-ha-cocky-arrogant kind of threat, it was a promise that she feared, and it showed … it was written all over her face. Even though she held up a perfectly good mask of indifference and straightened herself up … it showed that she didn't like what she heard.

X smirked and tilted his head to the side then winked deviously.

Raven turned her back on him, feeling like a fool she ran out of the store, trying to hide the embarrassing blush that came on her face as she gritted her teeth and berated herself, _I'm such an idiot! What the hell was I thinking going against him in that field? God Raven! Sometimes you can be such a … such a fool! _Then … without observing and making herself feel like even more of an idiot she ran into a body, "Oh! Sorry …"

She immediately apologized and was about the walk around the tough built man, until he grabbed her arm and pulled her up to him, she winced at the strong grip, but glared heatedly at the bastard that dared to grab her. Only to hesitate for a split second when she recognized his cold blue eyes, spiky black hair, pale complexion and tribal tattoos all along his arms. Raven leaned away, _Damn … Johnny Rancid! _He scowled down at her, "Oh, you don't know the meaning of the word sorry yet bitch. Lucky me, you're a fine piece of ass."

Just across the street Garth and Roy tensed, since the water was on their side, it started to swirl by the call of Garth's power, but Roy held up a hand, "Hold it … here comes our guy."

X walked out of the store and spotted Raven with Johnny, without thinking he rushed the two, jumped up and over Raven and slammed a foot in Johnny's face with a strong drop kick. Garth calmed the waters and narrowed his eyes as X stood in between Raven and the now very pissed off Johnny, Raven backed up to give X room to move, Garth frowned, "Why doesn't she use her powers?"

"She can't …" Roy answered matter-of-factly with a disappointed yet confused frown of his own, "… it'll blow her cover."

Johnny wiped off the blood from getting a tooth knocked out then got to his feet, "Just who the hell do you think you are geek?"

X snorted, "I think I'm the one that's about to fuck up your sorry ass for touching what isn't yours."

"Is that a fact whimp?"

"No …" the angle of the sun hit X's glasses at just the right angle, covering the dangerous dagger stare within his eyes as the glass glared; however … despite his anger he managed to smirk, "… that's a promise."

The people all around them panicked and screamed as Johnny charged taking out a switch blade from his pocket he flipped it open and swiped at X at least three times and missed till X dropped down and kicked up to Johnny's chin. Sending him flying into the street where he rolled and groaned in pain, having lost his knife he got to his feet and glared at the agile thief who lifted up a hand and provoked him to attack.

Johnny, being predictable ran after X swung a punch, missed, swung another punch, missed and as he went in for another, X side stepped gracefully then smashed a fist in Johnny's face. Then another fist reached his rip-cage, and another kick hit the side of his head and just before he fell to the ground X spun around and with a kick strong enough to stop his heart slammed it into his chest.

Johnny flew back into the street … knocked out …

X snorted and dusted his hands off, "Not even worth my time."

Garth and Roy's mouths dropped as they thought the same thing, _He wasn't even trying! _

Garth shook his head and narrowed his eyes on the thief who had beckoned Raven to follow after him … she did … but only hesitantly so as she made one last glance at Johnny's seriously FUBARed body. He looked over at Roy who shook his head, "Well … obviously he's looking out for Rae …"

"Looking out?" Garth blinked and scoffed, "There's a little more than that going on! This is weird … why is Raven hiding out, who's she with … and … did she fake her own death?"

"Fake?" Roy shook his head, "Highly doubt it … but the dude she's with … he's got something to do with it … we'll follow them until they go back home and when that happens … we'll tell Robin."

"How can we tell Robin when we don't even know where he is?"

"We'll find him … let's go, before we lose'em."

Raven finally caught up to the briskly strolling thief, "Was that really necessary! You didn't have to make such a scene! Besides, I could have handled him! It's just Johnny for crying out loud."

"Well you didn't handle it fast enough," X scowled, gritting his teeth, Raven could feel his anger and his frustration rising, wondering slightly to herself if whether or not she should back off. Raven found out that it wouldn't matter because once they came up to a near by alleyway with a dumpster, she blinked and stayed a good distance away from him when he pounded the side of his fist into the dumpster. Hard enough to dent it, his breathing became labored and Raven stayed quiet. Never had she seen – even thought it possible – for X to have such a bad temper _**hours **_after he woke up, "fuck … nothings going right today … and to top it off … those bastards are following us."

Raven held her breath, _How did he know … _her violet eyes shimmered with suspicion and from the corner of his eye he glared at her, "Don't act like you didn't fucking know … who are they to you?"

"…" she gulped and became stoic once again, "I don't know what you're talking about."

He scowled and straightened up, "You're a terrible liar."

Now there's a switch.

Someone who could actually see through her mask …

And of all people it had to be Red X …

It was unnerving, and she defended her lie with another she hoped would convince him, "I thought … they could help me get back to my … friends …"

"Titans East," he sneered with a shake of his head as he stared at the ground his bangs covering over his onyx eyes as he sighed dejectedly, "… you _**still **_want to go back to your friends huh?"

She frowned, "Well I still don't see any reason to keep from them … with Slade involved I know that it's their business as good as ours."

He looked up at her … and the look he gave her … for the first time in the time that they've been together … would be the first he'll ever tell the truth … to ever match what his heart was feeling. Pain … emptiness … and very void, yet emotional expression. Filled with everything, but left so empty after he was drowned by the weight that slumped his shoulders. Then, the sun caught his lens again and his glasses glared, coving his eyes and breaking Raven's perception of his truth as he suddenly straightened and pushed his glasses high upon his face.

"Well then …" his voice … steady and it's usual nonchalant self … his usually fake self, "… no one's stopping you know … I bet you can phase into their living room, can't you? Just go …"

Was it that easy?

Was he seriously making it that easy on her?

No … he couldn't have.

Could he?

"…" Raven stayed put and didn't say anything for a long time before she sighed and he stuffed his hands in his pocket, walking around her to get back into the streets of Steel City to cruise the town. Raven gritted her teeth and wanted to punch the same dumpster X had just to release some pent up energy.

Why …

**Why …**

_**WHY **_was it suddenly so hard for her to leave when he obviously was giving her the chance?

Why was she second guessing his decision … why was she hesitant?

_Because he's not telling the truth! It's a trick!_

Then … she answered herself … her logical part of her brain answered herself, _No … you're just making up excuses, you just don't want to go … because you're afraid what you're friends might say. You're afraid that they might take you as a liar and a traitor … just like Terra._

She screamed out loud, "No! That's not it at all!"

And it wasn't …

But it was part of it.

The problem was … she didn't know what the true reason was for her hesitation for returning back to her friends.

Another part of her brain answered the unanswerable question, _You just don't want to leave his side … you're too curious about him … you want to know … what lies hidden … deep … __**deep **__down in that dark heart of his … you want to know what makes him tick …_

Part of the reason …

But not all of it …

Why couldn't she put her finger on it!

Raven bit down on her lower lip … she knew perfectly well why … but she just didn't want to admit it.

She was afraid … she wouldn't like the answer.

So with a huff she turned around and out of the alleyway to catch up to the fleeting thief who had apparently not gone that far. Just far enough to reach another store, where he stopped … where she stopped … where they both just stopped for a moment and stood in silence. A wall shot up between them … they couldn't see each other even though they were staring violet and onyx straight in the face, they couldn't speak to each other … although they could fight and exchange witty banters.

And although the logical side of Raven was jumping for joy – because this meant that X couldn't make a pass at her even if he tried.

The wall between them only meant one thing that Raven feared the most.

Red X …

Wasn't just a criminal, or a color, or a letter anymore …

He was human.

He was touchable.

He had a name.

Robin Eli Xander.

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, simple as that.**

**A/N: Damn that was a long as chapter ... and ain't it so cute how little Xie got jealous? Awww ... maybe I should explore that side of him a little more ... but besidesd that anybody know who's Aqualad's real name? I think I got something close to it, but I get the strong feeling that that's not it. A little help … oh … and by the way thank you for all your reviews, you're all just too nice, luv ya! Just keep the reviews coming and I'll keep posting, so see ya guys in the next chapter and I'm pretty sure you know where that settings going to be.**

**Until next time;)**

**L8er daze!**


	8. The Shade of Faces

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Faces+**

"_I'm _

_**F**__ucked up_

_**I**__nsecure_

_**N**__eurotic_

_and __**E**__motional …_

_Just __**F.I.N.E.**__ thanks._

_How are you?"_

"Alright … are we all ready?" Leon looked over his family and Raven to see them suitable and presentable, nodding with a satisfied smile he gestured for the servants to open the doors and they did with a bow to usher out there masters, "Good, let's get going then, we can't be late."

7:50 pm, the Masquerade was at 8:00, Raven had no idea what he was talking about, they were going to be late anyway! She knew the drive from Hawthorne to the Monica Hall had to be at least a 30 minute drive away, but who was she to judge rich people and their definition of being late. Ruffling her Victorian styled gown, a halter design with dangling black ribbons on her arms stopping just above her elbows, within the corset it was white, laced with black and white ribbons front and back. The gown itself had a ruffled train behind her with ribbons hanging all along the sides and various other intricate designs making her feel like a wedding cake … a very **black **wedding cake.

No jewelry.

Even if the lady of the house bought her some jewelry for this kind of occasion, Raven just wasn't a dazzling-ooo-look-at-me-I'm-dripping-in-diamonds kind of girl. So she left that kind of accessory well enough alone and went bare. However … as she followed after Lola, her wrist was caught and she was gently pulled back into the house. Raven turned and through her black cloth mask tied around her head she looked into Robin's white, musical note mask of festivities. Glancing back over her shoulder to Lola and Leon she frowned and said, "Shouldn't we hurry? They're going to be waiting."

"Don't worry about them, I got another ride." He scoffed and Raven looked up at him again wondering what he still wanted with her wrist and she soon found out when he pulled something shinny out of his pocket. It was a diamond cut, silver charm bracelet with a single **beautiful **deep dark blue heart shaped sapphire on it. He wrapped it around her wrist and clipped it in place, lifting up her wrist to show her his _'gift'. _

Raven brought it closer to her face in order to examine it, it was real … a genuine sapphire, and in mid-condition, flawless … and the first thing that popped into her mind that made her feel kind of funny and … embarrassed enough to blush inwardly was: _He's sorry … sapphires usually mean loyalty …. _The sorceress, held her breath for a moment and kicked that thought out of her head, choosing not to linger on it as she sighed andasked quietly looking up at him, "What is this?"

Robin snickered and held out his arm for her to take, "I think it's a sapphire … and you're welcome …"

She took his arm, but only hesitantly so as she eyed him suspiciously, "It's not stolen is it?"

"Nah, I just spotted an old man walking across the street determined to give his granddaughter the gift for her 16th birthday; I beat him dead with his own cane and took the sapphire."

"Oh, well, then I can't except it."

Robin huffed and through gritted teeth said, "Just take the damn thing already and stop asking me irritating questions! I don't steal every goddamn thing in the world ya know."

Raven snorted as she slipped away from his arm and watched as the limo with Leon and Lola pulled out of the courtyard and another ride pulled up. A golden multicolored '02 Fairlady Z … a two person car, sporty, very much a Red X kind of ride, only she wasn't expecting the gold color. The vale stepped out and tossed Robin the keys, without looking he snatched it out of the air and took over the job that was supposed to be the vale's and opened Raven's door. Bowing and with a sweeping motion of his hand gestured for her to step in, Raven rolled her eyes, "Only a _'gentleman'_ of your caliber would cuss in a woman's presence and then play chivalry."

He sighed exasperatedly, but maintained a nonchalant composure, "Would you _please _enter the car _milady, _or we're going to be late to the ball."

Raven raised a brow and scoffed, "You would have done better with: _'Bitch, get in the car!'_"

Robin blinked then shrugged, and leaned on the door of the car, "Bitch, get in the fuckin' car I ain't gonna tell ya again!"

The vale, the servants, and maids all around to hear the commotion stared at the two in uttered astonishment … never understanding how one could be so romantic to present such a lavish gift, then talk like they had gutter mouths. Raven on the other hand stared at him with a blank expression, walked up to the car and with a hand on Robin's face used her power to shove him to the ground and she entered the car herself.

With her leg still out and a hand on the door handle she glared at the thief who stood back up and glared at her, but, playfully. Raven, sneered, and mocked his status, "_Never _call me a _'female dog' _again, _sir._ It's rude, crude, and utterly unnecessary. If you're the son of a family held in high esteem across the nation, I suggest you start behaving with the proper etiquettes of high society."

Then, she slammed the door.

Leaving Robin to enter his side and slam his own door as he jammed the key in the ignition, turned it, revved the engine and tore out of the courtyard. Burning rubber and leaving the entire shocked staff in the dust, gripping the wheel he glanced at Raven and shook his head, "You could have just given the damn thing back if you didn't want it. Not like it'll hurt my feelings."

Raven looked at the bracelet and _'hmmed'_, then turned her head up to look out the window, "I think I'll keep it for now, until I find a sink disposer and thus rightfully shred any evidence of your existence upon my person."

"Translation: _'Thanks! You didn't have to, but oh well.'._"

"And you're lost in translation. We shouldn't be going there."

"Why?"

"Because it means I'm an acquaintance of yours and your family, when I'm not. I don't even want to have anything to do with you. The only reason I'm with you right now is to try and clean me of whatever is flowing in my veins and it doesn't help when we don't know when the next episode will be. I could break down at the party or something …" Raven sighed and leaned against he chair, listening to the roar of the engine, trying to drown out her chaotic thoughts as she glanced down at the bracelet he had given her again. It irritated her that she kept looking at it; it was just a stupid bracelet!

"You think too much."

"No!" Raven sat up and glared at the nonchalant thief, "The problem is, you're not taking this serious enough! I don't know what's going on in that head of yours, but this **isn't **funny!"

Robin narrowed his eyes, "Whoever said this was a joke? What do you want me to do crack a damn whip on Jamie and Otto, they're doing everything they can to help you, you know."

"…" Raven scoffed and shook her head, choosing to stare out the window in order to distract herself with the passing scenery … but it wasn't working … she could see her reflection and stare into her own struggling violet eyes. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, trying to swallow down the burning urge to argue … she really didn't feel like getting into a confrontation with him. However it felt like she had no choice with the thick air around them.

Robin sighed, "Isn't the fact that I'm doing this because I feel obligated to, crossing your mind one way or the other?"

"No, because it doesn't make any sense," she snapped, "aren't you committing identity suicide despite your mask? I know what you really look like underneath it all."

And that comment meant more than just his appearance too.

Robin kept his eyes on the road, "To be perfectly honest … I don't care."

Raven blinked and glanced at him with narrowed eyes, "… Why?"

He smirked "Because it's more fun this way."

She _'tsk'_ and leaned back in her chair, "… Like you'd really give me a straight answer …"

"…"

"…"

Just like that, the rest of the driving was done in complete – awkward – silence.

Until they finally arrived at the ball, at Monica Hall, a grand hotel Raven was told where only the well dressed – high fashion freaks – were invited to the party. Raven wasn't at all surprised that Robin's family was invited. Speaking of Robin, he turned some heads as he pulled up around the angel water fountain, his car not only making noise, but glowing under the dim lighting. Raven suddenly understood why he choose this vehicle to make an entrance, on the side of the golden car reflected the lights and ade the ride glow. She moved to open her door, but the vale outside did it for her, and even escorted her to her feet.

She thanked him, and before she knew it someone had taken her arm and began to lead her up the stairs into Monica Hall. It was Robin, of course, but he seemed a little quiet … even his aura was quiet, dormant, thoughtful. Not qualities in him that Raven had ever felt … still yet, nothing Raven figured he even had! With his other hand he smoothed down his tux and as they reached the top of the stairs, he ensured their place with the party and they were allowed in.

The entrance was the lobby, carpeted with only the finest, creamy colored marbled walls, the classic chandelier, the works for a 5 stars-plus hotel. Directed towards the hall just off to the right of the main desk, the workers all smiling like they were paid for just standing there and Raven wouldn't be surprised. Through the hall, Raven expected to be lead into some stuffy Ballroom, but no, they were lead outside to the pool side!

Well … maybe not completely outside, because there was a sort of glass-ceiling over the pool and the same marbled pillars holding it up on all four corners. Vines here, vines there, and apparently they were perched on something because there was a guard-rail on the far side. However, that wasn't the highlight of the party, no; it was what was in the cages above the pool … white tigers pacing back and forth eyeing the crowd as if they were colorful pieces of food.

Raven huffed, "Well … I guess this explains why Camille had me wear a two piece bathing-suit under this gown." Robin glanced down at her curiously and Raven rolled her eyes when she felt his interest spike and mischief returning to his once quiet aura, "Not on your life."

"What," he said innocently, not like anything that'll come out of his mouth will be innocent, which made it sound so _deceitfully inviting, _"I didn't say anything."

"But you were thinking it."

"No fair, you read minds now, cheater." With their arms still linked he led her through the crowd of masks towards a round table that Lola was seated at, gently waving the fan in front of her. Her smile never deterred from the mask … in fact … it only enhanced her beauty as she laughed with the other group of women on the table. Raven was greatly reminded of a Victorian aristocrat perfect in every way, even her pure white heart. For some reason … Raven just couldn't sense secrets or sadness within her … only when Robin stood around her did she feel Lola give out an odd vibe of regret.

Regret of not being a better mother perhaps?

She wasn't quite sure and it wasn't her business, so Raven tried not to let the feelings get to her as Lola looked up and her smile grew even brighter, "Oh! Miss Rae, Robin, there you are, we were beginning to wonder where you've been."

"Robin?" a woman at the table, maybe about the same age as Robin himself perked up, her red face mask held on a stick was pulled away to reveal her light green eyes with hazel flecks here and there. Staring at Robin in surprise she stood up from her chair, her lovely gray evening gown accentuating her curves and showing off all the right parts of skin to tease, but not too much. Her voice was soft, like Camille's, yet full of bewilderment, "Is that really you?"

Almost immediately Robin dropped Raven's arm as he suddenly seemed nervous enough to rub the back of his neck, "Uh … sure I am, why wouldn't I be … uh … Marisa …"

Marisa let out a soft cry as she rounded the table and glomped Robin, hugging him tightly and not letting go until he returned the favor. So he returned it in full as she squealed, "Oh my god Rex, it's been soo long! Where've you been!"

Raven tilted her head, _Rex …? Robin Eli Xander … the first lets of his full name … clever or coincidence?_

The blonde haired hazel-green eyed girl let go and Robin shrugged and answered smoothly, "Around."

She nodded, then glanced at Raven, "Oh … well … that's good … um … who's your friend?"

Robin cleared his throat, and Raven stood straight holding out her hand to shake Marisa's as Robin introduced them, "Rae, Rae Roth, meet Marisa Van'Gareth, Marisa, Rae."

"Nice to meet you," Raven said politely with a slight incline of her head.

Marisa curtseyed, never grabbing Raven's hand to return the polite gesture, "Pleasures all mine! Any friend of Rex's is a friend of mine's, so how did you two meet?"

"…" Raven blinked, and pulled her hand back to her side, not exactly sure how to answer the question, so she cleared her throat, fiddled with her dress a bit till an answer came to her, "I know Robin through his travels."

"And what do you do?"

She was interrogating her, Raven sensed a bit of jealousy; maybe Marisa and Robin were together at one point in time. It could explain the reason why Robin suddenly seemed tense, which meant, the lying all rested on Raven. She sighed and quickly made up an occupation, "Self-employed investigator of undiscovered valuables around the world."

Marisa blinked once, her smile faltered for a moment as she thought about her answer then she tilted her head and asked suspiciously, "So … you're a … treasure hunter?"

Raven nodded, "Call it what you will, it's a living."

Lola paused in her fanning and the rest of he women in the table stared at Raven in wonder. Marisa nodded slowly as if processing the information and giggled as if something funny came to thought, "Well, I suppose, but I could never do such a thing, sometimes it's **too little pay **for too much work."

"Well that's you; I've come to find my job most rewarding."

"I see …"

"… If you'll excuse me …" Raven lost interest and looked off to the side, moving away from the group towards the guard-rail to get some air. The tense air of high-society was beginning to bore down on her and she was barely here for five minutes. Not bothering to return to the table when she happenstance a glance to see Robin being pulled aside on the dance floor – which Raven just noticed was on top of the pool, there was a glass cover. It didn't bother her … but it annoyed her to no end that she was invited to this party … it wasn't hers to celebrate … hell, she didn't even belong in this kind of society.

It wasn't her crowd … sure she can play their game, but it wasn't her cup of tea.

Looking out the guardrail, Raven sighed and stared at the moon … full … with a few clouds here and there to accompany the blue-black skies. Never morbid, just soothing for the soul, she chanted her mantra within in her head and drowned out the sounds of the party. Closing her eyes behind her black mask, Raven chanted herself near sleep if it wasn't for the hand on her shoulder.

It was Lola, her masquerade mask removed to speak to her face to face, it gave Raven the feeling that she should return the favor, but didn't, as Lola looked out to the moon herself and sighed wistfully, like a young woman in love. Raven couldn't help, but to shake her head in disbelief,_ If this is really X's mother … he must have some sort of genetic defect._

Lola chuckled softly, "I do apologize on behalf of both Robin and Marisa's sudden odd behavior. Marisa is usually a very easy to get a long with kind of girl … it's just … she and Robin, they go back a long ways. They really did grow up together, same school since elementary all the way to high school."

"I appreciate your concern for my feelings Mrs. Xander, but," Raven gave Lola a very serious look, her black mask only enhancing the expression, "it's not necessary, I could honestly careless."

"I'm sure that may be the case," Lola tilted her head and smiled secretively, "maybe it even explains the reason you're all the way over here, by your lonesome."

Raven scoffed and shook her head, "Mrs. Xander, please, don't get the wrong idea about me and I apologize if this offends you in anyway … but … I don't care about your son. I really don't, as a matter of fact I want nothing to do with him … it's just, under certain circumstances have forced me to be with him."

"I know."

Raven's eyes bugged out and she leaned away from Lola to stare at her in shock, "You … do?"

Lola nodded and smiled, "Of course, Leon told me all about your trouble with the Dago Family, and I assure you, nothing will happen to you as long as you stay close to us." She giggled sweetly and put a hand on Raven's shoulder, "Oh my, it's so like Robin to be such a hero … he'll never admit it, but he has a weakness for women in need of help."

_Not the thief I know … probably a front for his family … _Raven scoffed inwardly as she turned back to look out the guardrail, _Problems with the Dago family? Yeah right. _Raven felt Lola slide away from her, looking at her from the corner of her eye Lola held up a finger, "I'll be back."

Raven didn't care.

She was just glad to be alone once again … however, that wouldn't last long for on her other shoulder someone **else **approach her. It wasn't Robin, but he was male, feathery dirty blonde hair, wearing a pure white mask, the classic tux, and a gorgeous smile. Raven, held her breath and wished him to go away, "Hope I'm not bothering you."

Apparently, she just remembered that, that night **_wasn't _**her birthday.

"Yeah, you and the rest of the world," Raven sneered hoping against hope that she'll chase him away and he'll get the hint that she's not in the mood to socialize.

But to no avail … he was a hard headed one that had such a charming smile, "Tough night huh? You really look like you don't wanna be here."

_Gods, when will someone invent an anti-people spray to get these guys to leave me alone? _Raven sighed and tried not to make a scene as she pushed off the rail to stand and face the man properly, "Look, I'm sure you're just trying to be nice … or you have something else in mind, I don't care. Just please, take the hint and leave."

She picked up the front of her dress and marched across the pool towards the exit, the blond man tilted his head and smirked following after the sassy little sorceress. Raven felt him, and walked faster, praying to whatever god was out there that would listen to get him to go away! Cutting straight through the crowd, she unknowingly bumped into Robin who saw her leave. Pulling away from Marisa without a word he called out to Raven, "Angel!"

Raven didn't hear him, or listen for that matter and continued to storm out of the ballroom, glaring at the ground, _This is completely idiotic! I'm not supposed to be here, I should be with my friends … instead I'm here … at some stupid ball with horrid people and Red X who everyone thinks is such a good guy! I'm in the frickin' twilight zone! _

Robin jumped into the hall and slid to a stop when he spotted another man walking up from behind Raven, producing from his pocket a white cloth, _Damn! Chris Dago, _Robin glared and ran to stop him and his chloroform coated cloth, "RAE!"

Raven growled, stopped and spun around screaming in utter frustration, "WHAT –!"

The blond man she was talking to earlier ran up to her and slapped the cloth around her nose and mouth. She inhaled only slightly and knew what it was, but passed out within his arms, Chris grinned and pulled out a pistol from his vest pocket and pointed it at her head. Forcing Robin to stop for fear of her life, Chris chuckled, "Well, you didn't think daddy would pay up your debts and everything would be over, did you? You humiliated my father, Robin, and you know the code."

"Fuck your code, just let her go!" Robin shouted and took a step closer to Chris, but he grabbed Raven and dragged her further down the hall where four men came up behind him and helped pull the sorceress further away from Robin. With the gun now pointed at him, Robin growled, "Chris, I'm not in a joking mood right now, you hurt her someone's gonna pay …"

"I know …" Chris nodded, "but who will it be, will be left up to you to decided… if you care about this sweet young lady so much, then trading your life for hers shouldn't be a problem right?"

"…"

"Think about it, you have 5 hours to reply, you know where to go."

Pistol still pointed at him, Chris didn't put it down until he was a good distance down the hall to run. Leaving Robin to seethe, his mask narrowed, body ridged, looking ready to kill the first person that screwed with him, he heard someone walking towards him from the party and he looked over his shoulder to see it was Marisa. Her mouth agape, and her green eyes wide with worry, she rushed up to him and wrapped her arms around his arm, "Oh Robin, thank goodness you're alright."

Robin shook himself from her grip, "Go back into the party Marisa, don't concern yourself with me."

Marisa blinked and gave Robin a confused look, "Aren't you going to come with me?"

"No, I got something to take care of."

"NO –!" Marisa slapped a hand to her mouth, not believing how loud she had shouted, Robin gave her an odd look as she looked up at him and composed herself, "Robin … you're not seriously going to trade places with that girl are you? That's suicide!"

"What do you expect me to do, just leave her to her fate?"

"I want you to let the police handle it."

"The police can't do shit Marisa!"

"Well I'm not going to just stand here and watch you give yourself up for some … some … common girl you can find anywhere in streets!" Marisa gasped when she found herself at the receiving end of Robin's wrath … no, he didn't exactly hit her, but he took off his mask and pinned her with his onyx eyes and grabbed shoulders. Holding on to her so tight it hurt, "Ah … Robin … that hurts …"

"Good," he growled in her ear and she shrank away from him, but he held her still and shook her a bit, "now I have your attention. Rae, isn't just any common girl Marisa, _**you **_are. You're so fake, it makes me sick."

He let her go and marched away, Marisa held herself and winced in pain, getting the feeling it'll bruise in the morning, she gulped and stared after Robin in utter confusion. Never, in her life had she actually seen Robin willing to sacrifice himself for someone … not even for her, and she respected him for that reason. Only because she knows she'd do the same. Within the world they live in it's every man for themselves, but to see him so ready to save someone else – and not her – could hurt her more than any physical punishment Robin could have dealt her.

**((--Unknown Location--))**

Riding in a limo, Raven continued to fake unconsciousness as she listened into the bastard that dared to touch her conversation on the phone, "I have her; we're headed to the church right now."

_Church? Great … _she thought dryly and stifled a gasp when she felt someone kick her onto her stomach; her hands were pulled behind her back and tied tight with some plastic cuffs that nearly cut into her wrists with how tight it was put. Another male voice scoffed, "I don't get it, why cuff her when she's out cold."

"It's called being careful. I'm not going to take any chances with this one."

Then, the car stopped.

The door opened, and Raven gritted her teeth when one of the men … she was guessing the one that asked Chris the stupid question grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder. His shoulder digging into her gut, Raven bared with the pain and cautiously cracked open an eye to see where they where taking her and almost gasped when she saw they were in a graveyard! Crosses, angels, fog, the classic morbid feeling … then, Chris came into her line of sight as the man walked up a few steps into some elaborate mausoleum. She immediately closed her eyes and went limp, giving out a silent, yet startled grunt when she felt her body practically thrown on top of cement.

Raven guessed it was a cemented coffin.

"Do you think he'll come?"

"…"

"I don't think so, what's so special about the girl that'll get him to come anyway?"

Chris snorted, "He'll come, you see how pretty this girl is? He'll come."

"He can get prettier."

"Violet hair and eyes? How much of that do you see in life? She's exotic, he'll trade places, and we'll keep the girl and make her do a few rounds."

"Which block?"

"What block? She's going to be the family pet."

_My ass, _Raven scowled and snapped her eyes open, glowing pure white she ripped the plastic cuffs off and levitated in the air, "Don't think for a second you'll have me without a fight."

The two spun around and pulled out their guns to prepare for anything, but they hesitated when they saw her floating form, Chris's mouth fell open in shock, "What … the … what are you!"

"You're worse nightmare! _**Azarath! Metrion! ZINTHOUS!" **_in a burst of power she threw the men off the steps and out of the mausoleum, giving her room to fly out and float down on her feet. Holding out her hands to the struggling humans who tried to find their ground she threw their guns off to the side and brought the roots of the near by trees up to curl around the men. Tightening her grip she grinned and her pure white eyes flashed black and for a moment she felt lost, "Ah … wha …"

"AH!" the men screamed as the roots grew tighter, too tight, it was cutting into their skin and she could smell blood.

Smell …

Raven cut her powers off and stumbled back and fell on the steps, pure shock and fear rushed through her body. Releasing the men she gulped and looked down at her hands to see her nails growing … **claws!** "No …"

"_Finish them!"_

"NO! " Raven screamed and the entire graveyard shuttered under her uncontrolled power. Chris and his partner both looked at each other in uncertainty as they watched an invisible swirl of wind only kick up around the violet haired girl as she grabbed a hand full of her hair and scrunched into a ball, screaming, "NO!"

"_Do not deny me; make them pay for even thinking of turning you into their pet! You are no bodies pet! Do you understand me? KILL THEM!"_

"Never!" Raven screamed and the graveyard wasn't shaking anymore, the stones were imploding on themselves.

Robin who had made it saw the commotion and reached into his pocket for the hypodermic needle containing Otto's antidote he switched at the stables, "Shit!"

Chris's partner began to inch away from the girl before them, "Fuck man, she's a meta!"

"Freak or not, she's not doing anything," Chris rushed her to take her down.

Big mistake.

It sent a new shockwave of insecurity and fear coursing through her soul, "Please … no …" her hands raised to warn, not to defend herself, but to warn the human to stay back, "STOP!"

Too late …

The collar around her neck tightened, and she had no choice but to obey …

He grabbed her wrist and yanked her to her feet, but when he did her other clawed hand reacted on its on accord and stabbed right through his chest … straight to his back. His partner was so frightened by such a vicious sight that he couldn't hold himself up and fell back trying to run. Raven held still till she felt the life literally drain out of the human, opening her black eyes she was so close to him that she could taste the blood at the corner of his mouth. She stood on her tip toes and licked it right off his face she smirked and pushed him off her arm, letting his body fall in a bloody heap she whipped his blood off her arm with her powers and locked on the trembling man on the ground.

"Aww … did you fall? Allow me to help you up …" rising her hand the man felt himself lift up off the ground and high into the air, Raven snickered, "… whoops … to high."

In a cold sense of fun she slammed him into the ground and the impact alone killed him, but she lifted his limp body back up and threw it against an angelic statue holding a pointy object. He stuck – literally – and hung there with the pointy object jutting out of his chest, Raven pouted, "I don't like you … you're too easy to break."

"Raven!"

Hearing her name, Raven turned to find a panting X staring at her wide-eyed, or mask, Raven blinked … and for some odd reason or the other … hesitation gripped her heart as she squared off with him, _"He tends to harm you, get rid of him …"_

"…" Raven gulped and without warning she threw up her hand and the ground sprouted up to betray him, X nimbly dodged out of the way and hid behind a large cross as the ground he once stood on cracked open. Raven sneered, and said in a sing-song voice, "Jack be nimble … jack be quick … jack will regret ever crossing me …"

"Raven!" X screamed from his hiding place, "Get a hold of yourself! You just killed two human beings! A Teen Titan can't do that!"

She scowled, "I'm dead … remember?"

She lifted the cross he was leaning on and slammed it down on him, X once again moved out of the way, but this time he picked up a few rocks and threw it at the demonic sorceress. Raven saw it and stopped it with her power then threw it back at him, X maneuvered in the clear and charged her, the needle in hand, determine to get close enough to use it. He jumped and rolled when she flew back and sent black tentacles to keep him still. Backing off, X flipped and evaded being caught; frustrating Raven even more as he found another hiding place within the graveyard, but she managed to smirk.

Blood … she could smell his blood … she had injuried him.

If only slightly, on the side X winced and held the clean cut. It burned like hell; in fact, it felt like the tentacle that touched him was scorching hot! Hence the reason he could smell burnt clothing. Taking off the jacket and throwing it to the side, X tried to reason with her one more time, "Raven … this isn't you! You know it! It's the Elixir that's doing this to you; you keep this up who knows how many more will die."

"_Don't listen to him! Humans die every day, you're just speeding up the process … say it!"_

Raven gulped and bared her fangs, "Humans die every day, it's not like it'll be some Greek Tragedy if I get rid of a few couple hundred million."

X let her talk as he pulled out a retractable blow dart from his back pocket, having a feeling that he was going to have to use it for this kind of situation, he stuffed the needle inside and responded. Preparing for another shot, "Listen to yourself! Is that what a hero's supposed to say? You live to protect people; you're not a killer Raven!'

"…"

"_Eliminate him!"_

Raven winced when the collar tightened again, the black markings appearing more prominent upon her neck. Bringing a hand up to it she gritted her teeth and scoped out the thief, finding him behind an angelic statue she called upon all the shadows of the night and buried him in darkness, "DIE!"

"Not today Angel," he wasn't behind the statue! He was behind the tree beside her, how he got that close was beyond Raven, but before she knew it something pinched the side of her neck and as she reached up to remove it she stared at the empty needle in confusion. Feeling the world suddenly spinning out she stumbled back and on her side as X walked up to stand over her blurred out vision, and muffled hearing, but she still heard him curse, "Damn you, Slade…"

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans**

**A/N: Wow … I wonder, I wonder, I wonder what will happen next … hmm … I love the quote up above, I don't know who it's from, but I still love it, because I bet that's what people really mean half the time they say they're **_'fine', _**feh, yeah right.**

**I guess you'll just have to read about more of what happens next in the next chapter.**

**Love your reviews, you all know I'm a sucker for them so keep'em comin', you also know I'm good for it;)**

**L8er daez!**


	9. The Shade of Acrimony

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Acrimony+**

"_In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."_

_- Unknown_

"_Robin?" He smiled, charming, his entire uniform contrasting against the darkness shrouding her room as she allowed him in, not quite sure why he was there to begin with. She closed her door and leaned on it folding her arms over her chest, tilting it curiously she asked, "What's the reason for this visit?"_

_He shrugged something Raven knew he only did when he was thinking of something as he focused on everything in her room other than her, it was late at night, and her room was dark. Unless he was a half-demon such as herself he'd never be able to really make out much detail, which just enforced the idea that he was still trying to come up with an excuse for bothering her. Well, not really bothering, she wasn't doing anything, couldn't sleep, the works and he sighed, "Just thought I'd drop by to see how you were doing?"_

_She scrutinized him, narrowed her violet eyes on him and pushed off her door to walk up to him, wondering just what was going on in that head of his. Well, she could delve into it and see right now for herself, but being the modest person that she was and a personal right-to-privacy believer she wouldn't. However, it didn't stop her from thinking if this was a question posed by a leader wanting to check to see if his team was really okay after such a struggle with her father. _

_Or a friend wanting to be sure his friend didn't feel as if she was an even bigger outcast from the world than she already did._

_Personal visits were always a sticky situation for her._

_Raven never liked them … she was never really a personal kind of girl and hated feeling lost when it came to social contact. She nervously tilted her head down to the ground and casually shrugged muttering to herself within her head, 'Don't over analyze … he's just trying to be nice …' she sighed, "Robin, I'm fine … you don't have to go to great lengths to make sure I'm not falling into a pit of my own self-pity. I'm fine."_

_Raven discreetly bit down on her lower lip, 'Repeated it too many times … he'll think something's wrong.' She closed her eyes and listened as Robin responded quietly, "Okay … just checking …" _

_She heard him shuffle towards her; he was going towards the exit. She moved out of his way to allow him to pass … but he stopped, right beside her and felt him almost hesitantly place a hand on her shoulder. Light, afraid that of he rested it any heavier he'd be sending the wrong message … but then it got heavy and he leaned closer to her. Raven dared to glance up into his mask and gulped when that smile of his was so close she could almost taste the sweetness of his sincerity._

_Granted, it was hard for Raven not to think of her leader in such away._

_Hell, she was only 16, he was pretty much the same age, they lived under the same roof, ate at the same table, shared stories, laughs, and hardships together. For heavens sakes he went to hell just to get her back! What girl wouldn't fall for that, Raven was a half-demon, but she was still a girl that had feelings, despite her determination to keep them under lock and key. Her heart sped up, her face felt like it was suddenly on fire and she was glad that it was dark so that he wouldn't see the blush rushing up on her face when he leaned in even closer._

_Their close proximity startled her, "Robin …"_

"_I'm here for you Raven … and I'll never let anything happen to you, again." Raven couldn't help but bow her head and close her eyes to avoid his gaze. Unable to hold it, feeling so vulnerable as he whispered every word with great meaning behind them all. It wasn't just words, they were promises, promises of a friend … maybe something more, she didn't know, but to her, they were dangerous things to say._

"_You …" Raven found herself suddenly stuttering, "Robin, you can't say things like that … it –!"_

_He cut her off, gently placing a gloved thumb on her lips while cupping her face, he closed the gap between them with a swift kiss, but Raven brought up her hands to his chest and applied pressure, not enough to push him away, but enough to stop him as she turned away. Breathing heavy and closing her eyes when he settled to kiss her on the forehead instead, "Sorry, I shouldn't have done that."_

_Raven sucked in a deep breath to calm herself down and settled in his arms when he hugged her and whispered his name … but for some odd reason … his name … held a different meaning as it slipped passed her lips, "… Robin …"_

**((--))**

Warm … she felt so warm and safe under the comforting sheets of whoever's bed she was in. So secure … in fact … she never wanted to leave the bed, it reminded her of … a distant memory, just after she took care of her father.

"… Robin …" she found herself whispering his name again, testing it, as if to taste if said name had changed in flavor or meaning … and it did.

Immediately, after she said his name, the face she was thinking of, didn't pop up behind her closed eyelids. It was someone else's … a cunning young man with stunning onyx eyes that pierced deep into her soul and captured her in more ways than one. Raven gritted her teeth and clenched the sheets around her, shaking her head and burring her face within the soft pillows as if it had something to do with changing the face. Because that face … those eyes … they weren't what she was thinking … it wasn't what she wanted to see.

She shuttered when the image wouldn't go.

It frightened her … greatly.

For **him **to be engraved in the back of her mind that way it was … it frightened her to the core.

She felt a fist enclose around her heart and felt it starting to squeeze the life out of her the more she tried to change the face to match it's rightful owner … but it would go … she tried saying the name again, sounding desperate this time, "… _Robin …"_

_**Splash!**_

Suddenly … her vision went completely red as the image of her leader, her friend had finally appeared, only to be smeared away by the red paint that crossed him off … with a giant Red X. Raven gasped and shot up panting as her heart raced a mile a minute, the red paint slowly dissolving to reveal to her that it was just a dream… no … not a dream. The first part of her subconscious train of thought anyway.

It was a memory of Robin, and her, she brought a hand up her face and stared blankly at nothing as she thought, _How could I forget that moment? _It pulled at her heartstrings, and a new question arose … why did she stop him when she wanted the same thing? It hurt her head to think about it, but it hurt her heart to remember it, so she put it in the back of her mind and forgot about it.

That was how she forgot about the moment.

But …

That didn't explain the red …

She gulped …

It didn't explain the Red X painted across Robin's face when she repeated his name.

Pleading with her subconscious to have her remember his face.

His mask, his uniform, his everything!

And when she was beginning to …

The red paint smeared his image.

Why?

It scared her to even think about it.

Taking deep breaths, Raven calmed herself down and glanced around her new room … this time … it seemed pretty normal instead of the princess-suite that she was given at the Xander Mansion. Although, it still didn't stop her from wondering just where exactly she was, throwing the white sheets off of her she swung her legs over the edge of the large queen sized bed and had her bare feet touch the cold hard wooded ground. She shivered, but figured that it'll pass as she sighed and noticed the window over her bed.

She glanced out of it to see that she had a clear view of part of the Xaner Mansion … _I'm probably at Robin's aunt's house just down the –_

Her eyes widened and her mouth fell agape as she thought aloud in terror and shock, "… I … I just … I called him by his _**name."**_

She brought her hands up to her mouth and blinked with a shake of her head, _No … no I didn't … his name … his name is X … Red X … not … not … Robin …_

She bit down on her lower lip to silence her thoughts.

Even thinking of the name … it sounded alien.

Forbidden …

Scary …

Because … it didn't sound the same anymore!

It had a different meaning behind it.

It had … had … _**his **_face to the name.

Raven bowed her head and closed her eyes, but alas, those haunted obsidian eyes wouldn't leave her, so she snapped them back open and shot up to her feet, a hand still on her mouth, _Oh gods … I think I'm going to be sick … _not in disgust, no, just sick with disbelief! He was in her thoughts, in the back of her mind … but … but … _**WHY?!**_

Stumbling towards the door to exit the room to immediately find a bathroom where she hoped against hope that she'd get there before she ruined the perfectly polished grounds with whatever her stomach was disagreeing with. She gulped hard and staggered out into the hall, practically throwing herself to the opposite wall from her bedroom door. Wincing as her shoulder hit and the discomfort was there; she gasped silently and stifled her noisiness when she heard voices.

It was Otto's … and … _**his **_…

She followed it …

Downstairs within Robin's aunt's house where Otto and Jamie were staying, Otto and Robin were found in the large kitchen, Robin sitting on the counter and Otto leaning on the table in thought and in the middle of explaining:"Well … it's not exactly a cure for the Elixir … actually … I don't think there's any real scientific cure for what's in her system."

Robin narrowed his onyx eyes with no glasses – contacts – and raised a suspicious brow, "But you just said –"

Otto interrupted him and held up his hands to stop him, "I know what I said, but listen to me, Slade must have altered the mixture, added something that's not even a chemical … I have no idea what it is, but it might explain the markings that suddenly appeared around Raven's neck. Anyway, the antidote I gave you will eliminate the Elixir, but the other stuff … I don't know. Anyway, **you **probably made it worse by putting more of that shit in her when you switched the needles at the stables you bastard!"

Raven stilled in the middle of coming down the stairs, _Wha …_

Robin huffed and ran his hands through his bed-messy hair, obviously ignoring Otto's sudden outburst, "It's magic … forget it Otto, you're way out of your league, and I had to … it was Slade's order, if I didn't do anything he'd know."

Jamie entered the conversation, "Well, does he know where you are?"

"No, he doesn't even know you guys are helping me, he thinks I'm taking care of the Titan all by my lonesome."

"_**The Titan" **_Raven gulped hard, not _"Raven" _or _"Angel"_ … just _**"The Titan"**_… why did that hurt so much?

"Two-timer!" Jamie accused and Robin jerked his head in disgust.

"Hey! It was a job alright! I really didn't know he was going to hurt her like this! If I did I would have pulled out before I got in too deep!"

Otto shook his head in disappointment, "Why the fuck where you screwin' with him anyway when you knew he was bad news!"

"I don't know! I guess I got bored."

It was Jamie's turn to hit him, "Well look what your dumb ass got us into, do you realize that Slade owns you now? We can't handle him on our own Rob; we have to call the Titans."

"No," Robin was quick to answer, "I can handle this."

"Robin –"

"I said I can handle this," Robin reassured with a stubborn glare, "I'm not going to let anything else happen to her, not after what I saw when I had to stage her death …"

_So … it really was all planned … _Raven found herself suddenly loosing focus. Her world went blurry and for a moment she thought she was going through another episode when her throat felt like it was on fire, and her heart hurt like hell!

But no …

It was something totally different …

When she blinked …

Tears escaped her violet eyes.

She was crying.

Jamie looked at her brother and Otto did the same, they both had that unsure look on their faces while they listened to Robin's declaration. Normally they would have been teasing him about it, since he had to be such a hero when he felt like it, but this time. They were dealing with Slade and that was a whole different ballgame. Jamie was still going for calling the Titans for back-up and Otto just plain-old wanted to drop the case like a hot potato.

Wanting nothing to do with hero and villain squabbles, but seeing that he had no choice now, Otto sighed, rolled his eyes in defeat and pulled open a chair to sit down, "Well … if that's the case than … we have to either tell Raven the truth – which I personally think is the better idea – or bring in someone else to help me with her problem. Because, magic is so not my field."

Robin stayed silent for a moment, then announced suddenly jumping off the kitchen counter, "I'll call Jinx."

Jamie's mouth dropped open, "Whoa! Whoa! What the fuck? So you're not going to tell Raven the truth?"

"… She doesn't need to know … yet …" Robin reached for a phone, but Jamie rushed up to him, grabbed the back of his shirt, pulled him back and forced him to look her in the eye.

"She needs to know **now, **this isn't something you can just put off, this could end very badly if you don't say something!"

Robin shook his head and shrugged her off, "Jamie, she doesn't need to know."

He picked up the phone and Jamie stared at him in disbelief, giving up when he waited for someone to pick up on the other line she huffed and before she walked away from him she said, "You know … if you're going to lie, lie yourself, I'm not lying for you."

With a blank expression on his face he watched Jamie head back up the stairs to confront Raven. Who unknowingly to the three humans had heard everything; Jamie only took two steps and stopped with a gasp when she spotted Raven standing in the middle of the stairs. Her long violet hair pulled to her side, wearing nothing more than the white button up rumbled collared shirt that was X's to begin with. Violet eyes stared down at her with an unreadable expression and Jamie gulped, when Raven didn't say anything only walked down the stairs right passed her following X's voice.

Jamie licked her lips and watched the Titan with wide worried eyes.

Otto on the other hand looked up and held his breath when Raven's piercing gaze locked on him for a moment pinning him to the ground with such intensity that it sizzled his own skin. However, he wasn't the target, X was when she looked at the corner of her eyes to the thief who hung up the phone and had a sinking feeling in his gut when she faced him. Passive, indifferent, tense silence, he opened his mouth and tested the waters to see if they were safe to sail, "Angel –"

That water … was frozen solid.

"My name," her voice was cold … uber cold, so cold it froze the entire room and showed no mercy, "is **Raven, **not _'Angel'_ … and I'm no subject of yours or Slade's."

"…" X seemed to have something to say … but it fell flat and never could put into words when Raven walked away from him and up to Otto.

The biochemist gulped, not sure if this was a good thing or not as she passively stared at him, "This other substance that you mentioned within the Elixir … what is it?"

_Oh shit! _He thought with a shuttered, _She heard it all! _he tried to play it cool, but it was impossible with those dark sneering eyes of hers. Otto shrugged, "Uh … I – uh – I don't know, honestly, but I can show you … there's a lab in the basement, Robin's Uncle used to be a military scientist."

"Not surprised."

They disappeared around the corner into the living room headed for the basement and the air suddenly became breathable, X let out a breath and leaned on the table hanging up the phone, "Damn … I was expecting her to hit me or something."

Jamie shrugged and glared over him with her arms folded across her chest, "She was crying Robin … personally I would have kicked the shit out of you … but she's numb … she doesn't know what to do."

Jamie wasn't valedictorian for nothing to become an MD.

She even got a PhD in psychiatry.

So of course X wasn't surprised when she made those bold claims.

As a matter of fact, it didn't take an MD or a PhD psychiatrist to know he hurt Raven … _**badly.**_ He saw the pain in her eyes when she looked at him with such fury … and he had to be honest … he wished she'd hit him … at least then … he'd know she still acknowledge him enough to physically touch him. However, since she didn't … X suddenly felt lost …

"Jamie, you have to be on my side with this one," X defended, "the only reason why I didn't want to tell her is because then she wouldn't trust me as much and I wouldn't get her cooperation as good …"

Jamie flipped her blond hair, her blues reflecting her friend's clueless-ness as she huffed and shook her head, deciding that now was as good a time as any to clean up the house before Robin's aunt got back from her trip in Cambodia, "I swear X, you're fast on the draw, but always seem to hit the wrong target."

X blinked, completely clueless, and caught off guard, "What are talking about?"

"**That's **what I'm talking about!" Jamie growled in frustration and jumped when the phone rang, she stared at it, then glanced at X who was right next to it and nodded, "You gonna answer that anytime soon?"

He rolled his eyes and picked up the phone, "Robin Xander, who's this?"

"_Oh! Robin … it's Marisa … I … uh … your mother told me you were there so I decided to call and, um, see how you and that wom – Rae, was doing …"_

Jamie raised a brow when X's annoyed face turned into a look of exasperation, then she shot X a dry look when he said her name, "Marisa … why are you doing this? She's none of your business."

She shuffled around as if nervous as she sighed heavily on the phone, _"I know, but after what I said last night, I thought I owed you and Rae an apology. My behavior was most unacceptable and I was wondering if it was possible if you both would like to join me over at my estate for a little lunch today … if it's not too much to ask."_

Jamie knew that look X was giving and she shot him a serious glare, saying through her lips knowing that X could read lips, _"You're not serious are you?"_

"Hold on one second," He held a hand to the phone and shrugged, "It's better than to keep her locked up in her seething and ruing the day she ever met me."

"You can't do that! Not in her condition! She's unstable! You'll just be pulling another stupid like at that party!"

"That didn't count, we settled the debt with Dago and he bit off more than he could chew, he deserved that."

"But **she **didn't! You're dragging her into your personal problems X."

"No I'm –"

"Go on the lunch with Marisa, **BY. YOUR. SELF! **Otto and me will take care of Raven, maybe you can go gather that information you tried to get last night, if Marisa's connections are at her place then that's your ballgame."

"Jam –"

"End of discussion! She's getting suspicious pick up the line Rob," Jamie flipped her hair and smirked as Robin growled in defeat and got back on the line with Marisa.

"Hello?"

"_I'm still here, did you talk to her?"_

X ran his fingers through his already messy hair, ruffling it up and gritting his teeth he sighed, "Ah … um … Marisa, Rae, she needs rest, but I guess I'll come over."

Marisa took a moment to answer, but sighed herself and settled, _"It's okay … well, lunch is at 12, and, on my behalf wish Rae the best of luck getting well."_

Jamie scoffed when he finally hung up the phone and Jamie snickered, "That little bitch is starting to get on my last nerves, I have no idea what the hell you saw in that shedevil. Fuckin' stalker."

"Forget about it" X sneered and stuffed his hands in his pockets, "just take care of my angel while I'm gone."

"'_**Your'**_ angel?"

X froze then corrected himself smoothly, "You know what I mean she's my responsibility and everything."

"Huh … responsibility … right."

Not even sticking around for a come back X ran up the stairs to get ready for the lunch, while down in the basement Raven worked with Otto who was currently filling her in on what the Elixir does to her exactly, "… So the subject looses sanity, and the one that had administered the drug would have the opportunity to transform the subject into whatever he or she wants. In this case, Slade would want to make you the perfect killing machine and call me a smartass, but I don't think you want that very much."

"No …" Raven answered quietly as she looked into the microscope to study the liquid that she was supposedly shot-up with. Twice, considering what X had done to her in the stables, "… it has to be some sort of controlling potion that's in me. The Elixir does most of the work, making me vulnerable, then the potion will follow and I'm at my master's mercy. Problem is … what **kind **of potion is it."

Otto leaned on the chrome table, giving Raven a critical look, "You just said it was a controlling potion."

Raven looked up from the microscope and answered, "That's the obvious answer for any one of your caliber to guess … however, if you've studied magic all your life … you'll know the differences between specific kinds of subordinate mixtures. One would control only bodily function, another, the mind, and another even both, or maybe it's one that controls feeling."

"Feeling?"

"Fears usually the favorite in cases such as this," Raven informed as she walked away from the microscope to another part of the lab where Otto had showed her was where he had created the antidote, "but … maybe it's memory."

Otto followed her and asked, "Can you mix potions … you know, like the different kinds you listed? Is it possible to do that?"

"…" Raven faced him and tilted her head, "If that's the case then why use a potion when you can use a subjugation spell?"

"'_Subjugation'_ spell?" Otto blinked dumbly.

Raven nodded and huffed, leaning on the chrome table she frowned, "This would be so much easier if I had my library."

"…" Otto leaned next to her and stared at the equipment in the lab, state of the art, fine tuned a mad-man's wet dream basically. Every single possible way to solve any biological problem in the world and they get stuck with magic! It was a sick twist of fate, one that got Otto wondering, only to want to ask out of curiosity. Glancing back at the stairs to be sure that X wasn't anywhere near them, he sighed and shrugged nonchalantly, "So … mind if I ask you a questions? It may be none of my business, but curiosity abounds … you have the power to get away from us even right now and I highly doubt you're stupid so you can manage to find your way back to your friends. Why? Why do you put up with this shit? Put up with us common criminals if you say you hate us so much?"

Raven blinked, then tilted her head up at Otto and without hiding anything, said in a very serious tone, "I'm only staying until this chemical inside me is gone completely, and when it is gone … you … your sister … and especially X will be taken down in one shot. I'm sorry if that's too blunt for you, but it's the truth whether you like it or not."

Otto gulped and asked, "You sure you're not just saying that to spite Robin because he lied to you? Cuz' you know, he lied to Jamie and me too."

"I'm a Titan, Otto," Raven reminded, "it's my job."

"Sucks," Otto scoffed and shrugged, "but I guess you can't have your cake and eat it too. Girls as fine as you are, are always the spies."

Raven snorted, "I'm not the one that played both of us and your sister like pawns on a chessboard …"

Otto raised an amused brow, "You really don't like him do you?"

"If you think I don't, never ask Robin his opinion."

For a second Otto thought she was talking about X, but then he remembered that her leader's alias was Robin and chuckled, "I'll remember that when you're reading my rights."

Raven sighed, "Well, while we're on the case about personal questions, I hope you don't mind my asking about how you and your sister came to know X."

"That's a funny story," Otto laughed at the memory, "but if I tell ya, you can't say you heard it from me 'cuz Robin would kill me if I told you."

Raven nodded, "I'm listening."

"Well, we've known him for about a year and a half, right at the time he ran away from Hawthorne Garden Court. We helped him escape house arrest, and a looming betrothal."

Raven jerked her head back in shock, "Be-betrothal? X was promised to someone?"

_**Crack!**_

Otto made a face, "Not … exactly, he was the one who proposed to her, but only because he had to clear his name from all the rumors that were spread around about his life and his mother and his father. He had to make it look like he was the actual son of a multi-_**billionaire **_tycoon, ready to take on the family fortune when he turned 18, or at least work at Leon's company."

"I don't get it, how's marrying someone going to clear his name?"

_**Creek!**_

"You see … in the world of the rich and famous rumors start to rise … since Marisa and Robin were like childhood sweethearts and everything, the jealous started to dissect their lives, pry and eventually a rumor spread. A nasty one to, Marisa was supposedly pregnant with Robin's kid, so, you see, he actually proposed to her to save **her **face, because it would bring disgrace upon each family name if there was a child born out of wedlock."

"_**Don't worry so much, the worst they'll think is that I got you pregnant or something … long story …" **_Raven remembered quite vividly the first night she met X's parents, what he said, it made sense! Raven nodded, "Okay … I don't see how this is funny?"

_**Crrraaacckkk!**_

"Ha, if you were in my shoes, you would have, especially the whole stealing from the company part. You see, Robin's just weird; the whole marriage thing? That was _**his **__'brilliant' _idea by the way, and he found that he couldn't get out of it … but … here's the funny part. Turns out that Marisa was the girl who started the vicious rumors just so she could have Rob all to herself …"

Raven sighed when Otto took a deep breath and looked off in thought; she stayed silent and listened to the rest of his explanation.

_**CccrrrEEEkkk!**_

"When Rob found out her _'malicious plot' _he was going to call off the wedding … but …" Otto bowed his head to stare at the chrome table, and frowned, "Marisa … threatened blackmail … you see … Robin's family isn't exactly spic-n-span … there's a lot of hidden mistakes upon the Xander Canvas. Anyway, Marisa threatened to go public with his mother's entire background which isn't what you'd expect it to be since she's such a nice lady. Then, she threatened to expose him for the criminal that he really was, and the straw that broke his back was when she threatened to spoil his name in the only way that'll not only destroy Robin's reputation entirely … but take away a good chunk of his pride."

He paused … Raven blinked when he looked at her with a serious gaze, she stayed passive, "… Continue …"

Otto bit down on his lower lip then shook his head, "Despite what you may think of him, X really isn't a bad guy … he only does bad things … things that go against society's moral outlook on life in general. Marisa … she was going to make him look like a monster … she was going to claim he raped her and forced her to keep the baby and X couldn't take that. So he staged the elaborate stealing plot, he stole … I forget what he stole, but he took something valuable from the Xander volt and made a run for it and disappeared. Jamie and I helped him. So … you see … I know it may not be fair to you that he lied about working for Slade and stuff … but you gotta understand … it's not exactly easy for him to trust people with the life he's led."

_**SHATTERED!**_

The wall that separated the Titan from the Villain …

Was demolished …

She was beginning to understand him …

Raven scoffed, but didn't say anything, just vented in her mind; _I don't give a damn anymore! That bastard can go straight to hell!_

Then, the logical side of her brain kicked in, _You knew … you knew he was still working for Slade … you __**knew**__ … so why so upset?_

Raven answered herself with a roll of her eyes, _Because the bastard thought he could get away with lying straight though his teeth! Damn him!_

That part of her seemed to chuckle, _No … that's not it and you know it … it's not the fact that he was still working for Slade or he was lying that makes you angry. You had hoped against hope … that for once in your life … you'd be wrong. You're mad at yourself for being such a fool._

_Yeah … and who made me the fool …_

…

"So you've given me a little insight to his past life … doesn't mean I care."

Otto grinned, "Somehow … I knew you wouldn't."

"Wouldn't what?" both Raven and Otto looked up from each other to the stairs that X had come down. Dressed up like he was on some kind of date, Raven turned away from him and the sudden chill in the air never went unnoticed to Otto who decided now was as good a time as any to get a drink as he dismissed himself. Leaving the Titan and the Thief alone, X grumbled, hoping that Otto would have stayed to loosen things up. X found himself at the mercy of the angry lioness as he slowly, carefully approached the Titan dwarfed under his large shirt.

Raven broke the ice … or made it even colder when she asked, "What do you want?"

X casually slid up beside her and looked over her shoulder to see what she was doing as he answered her question, completely and utterly ignoring her cold mood, "I came here at first to ask if you wanted to join me on a little lunch date with Marisa at her estate. It's an apology thing, Jamie protested the very idea of you going with me, says that you're _'unstable' _at the current moment which I think is just a load of bullshit. However, now that I saw how cozy you were with Otto, I have to know, what exactly were the two of you talking about to get you in such a fine mood?"

"Oh? So now you think you have the right to question the people I talk with?" Raven moved away from him, keeping herself busy from actually having to look at him otherwise it'll set her off in a very dangerous way. "Go on your date, I'd _**hate **_to be a third wheel."

"Angel," X teased, purposefully pushing the wrong buttons to see which one will set her off, he had to know otherwise he was lost with how to approach her anymore, "remember that little talk we had about Camille?"

Raven chanced a corner-eye glare at the thief, "What? You mean that discussion about maids and something about me being jealous of low-life scum like you? Sorry, you got the wrong girl, leave."

He was getting somewhere, but he wasn't there just yet, so he pressed harder.

"You know, instead of being a bitch you can just say you want to tag along."

"Screw you!" she snapped and some piece of expensive equipment was sent soaring through the air towards X who ducked down and a loud crash along with Raven's shouting could be heard even from upstairs, "You set my team up, poison me, force me to stay with you, and above all else you **lied **and you're pegging me to be some kind of **bitch!** You were working for Slade all this time and you expect me to just sit back and watch idly as you prance around **pretending **to have _'seen the error of your ways'? _Go to hell!"

X exclaimed with a devious glare, "Let's get one thing straight here princess, I didn't **force **you to do anything. You're in the one that keeps coming back to me."

She lost her temper and charged him, "You repulsive son of a bitch!"

Modesty flew right out the window along with the rest of her patience as she tackled X to the ground, knowing well enough that she couldn't fight him and X not expecting the move was slightly winded when her shoulder dug into his gut. The both of them went down, with Raven on top of him, she sat up and couldn't _**BELIEVE **_what she had done nor the position had she put herself in! On top of the thief, she felt her cheeks flush as he looked up at her with those onyx eyes of his that seemed bewildered … she gritted her teeth, _He's so fake!_

Carefully straddling his waist she grabbed fists full of his fancy clothes and clenched tightly as she brought him up face to face to glare heatedly into his eyes, wanting so badly to gain control of her life again. She felt her throat burn … her heart beating so hard and so fast it hurt … and finally … the salty liquid that spilled from her violet eyes that streamed down the side of her face and dripped off her chin onto his chest. Gritting her teeth and training her voice to be as stiff as ever she shook him weakly while shaking her head squeezing her eyes shut to stop the flow of tears. Just hating how his bewildered expression turned cool and calm as she lost it, "_Why … __**Why **_are you doing this to me! What have I ever done to you to put me through this hell …!"

Chocking from holding her breath to stop herself from sobbing, she looked away from him and felt her grip loosening from his collar. She shuttered when she felt a hand of his slid onto her own and gently pry it off his coat till she fully released him and when she did he sat up and attempted to pull her onto his lap to hold her. Just to comfort her, not to say anything knowing that it'll only make it worse … however … the moment he moved to wrap his arms around her waist, she shot up and ran from his touch.

Jamie and Otto gasped and both broke away from Raven's path as she ran passed them and up the stairs, to the bedroom she was occupying and slammed the door shut. Confused about what to do, both Jamie and Otto turned to the only guy who could have possibly sent Raven into such a distraught state, the Thief who stole her sanity came out of the basement. Casually fixing his attire and smoothing back his raven black hair, Jamie narrowed her eyes, "Are you just going to stand there?"

He didn't say anything, only walked by them towards the front door, even Otto shook his head, "Robin … you put her through enough … I think it's only fair that you apologize for everything you've done."

"What's the point?" He said in a surprisingly strained voice … like he was holding back from something that neither sibling could even begin to deduce what it was as he balled his hands into tight fists and bowed his head, "It's not like she'll listen to me anyway …"

Jamie sighed, "But you're not even _**trying **_to apologize … it's like … it's like you're purposefully pushing her buttons to set her off the wrong way …"

Then … it clicked even if X hadn't have said anything.

He was pushing her away!

Jamie's mouth fell ajar at the sudden realization … but she dared not voice it for X had turned to look at the stairs thoughtfully … and with a heavy sigh he scoffed gruffly and marched towards it reluctantly, "If I die … both of you stay away from my funeral."

Otto smiled and nodded in support as X marched off to his doom, leaving Jamie to place her chin in her hand in thought, Otto noticed that deep look upon his sister's face and asked, "Wasup? Something on your mind?"

"Otto …" she said with a dramatic pause as she summed up her thoughts into another question, "… do you think it's possible for the Elixir to alter feelings?"

Otto blinked … then thought about what he and Raven discussed earlier and frowned, "… Well … if you're talking about the one that's in Raven's system right now then … I'd have to only agree with you half-way because we don't even know if Slade used a specific potion … whatever that means."

"… Remember … remember when she called out Robin's name when X brought her to his apartment?"

"… Yeah?"

"… What if … what if we were right in thinking that she **did **like her leader … but in hearing that X's name is Robin as well … do you think that she could be mixing the two up? Maybe … I don't know … transfer her feels from her leader towards our Robin?"

Otto knew where she was taking this and he sighed as he answered with an amused smile and a dry shrug, "Who knows … but if that's the case than I'm not complaining … you?"

"…" Jamie blinked then frowned and shook her head with a shrug, "I don't know … they're both just too bottled to tell. Both of them refuse to delve into the possibility and neither of them are willing to get along … it's like … they're forcing themselves to hate one another and subconsciously pull one another into each other's lives as they continue to push the other away as hard as they can. Get it?"

Otto scoffed, "You're the shrink, not me."

Jamie sighed, "Never mind."

_**Knock! Knock! Knock!**_

"Raven … it's me … the _'low-life scum' _that has come to … to … _grr_ … look, I don't … I …" X leaned his forehead on the door and stared at the ground with wide-opened onyx eyes, _What the hell am I saying? This is totally pointless!_ Feeling like a complete idiot he was just about to turn and walk, when he heard the door open and he pushed off said door as Raven cracked it open. Her violet eyes glaring at him without letting up, X blinked then sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he looked away from her unable to hold her gaze as he murmured, "… so I'm not the greatest guy in the frickin' universe, but give me credit for trying to make things right … you coming with me to Marisa's? Or what?"

"…"

"…"

"… She's a Van'Gareth … right?" Raven asked.

X stared, "… Eh?"

The Titan glared, "Marisa … you said last night that she was a Van'Gareth or where you lying about that to?"

"Uh … no, actually, she is … why? You know her?"

Raven scoffed, "No … but I know her family history …"

_She knows the Van'Gareth's? _X blinked and shrugged, "So what? You comin' or not?"

"I will …" and just before she slammed the door in his face to signify that she still hated him with every fiber of her being she growled, "… but not because you asked."

X sneered at the door and stormed muttering to himself as he waited outside for Raven to come out fully dressed, "High strung witch."

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans and I don't own the quote, but I own everything else that has nothing to do about DC, so stop hounding me about it!**

**A/N: Drama, drama, drama … ugh … I can't help to feel like some of the people here were out of character … sorry about that, my bad, but ANYWAY, drop me a review and I'll get back to you with chappie number 10;)**

**L8er daez**

**P.S. Oh … and by the way, **_Acrimony_** or **_Acrimonious _**means something like a very bitter, very personally hurtful argument … something like what lovers or families would get into and strike the wrong cord. **_**(shrugs)**_** just thought it was something you guys would like to know.**


	10. The Shade of Haters

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Haters+**

"_There's more than one way to skin a cat …_

_But there's also more than one way for the cat to skin you …"_

_- Unknown_

Another beautiful house, another lovely courtyard and driveway, lined with weeping willows and one thing that Raven suddenly took notice of during their 20 minute drive from Hawthorne Garden Court all the way to Willow Grove. The way the wind blew, the cool breeze, and the distinct smell she was very familiar of when both her and X got out of the car and walked up to the front door of the estate. Raven noticed that they were near the ocean and there was close to 100 to 500 years of history upon these grounds.

Yes, she knew, Marisa Van'Gareth and her entire family were full of witches, warlocks, sorceress, and sorcerers. Robin rang the bell, and instead of a servant answering, it was Marisa herself, still made-up with her light green eyes reflecting gold with the hazel flecks here and there. Her light blonde tresses pulled up into a clip as she smiled brightly and welcoming, the perfect hostess, rather suspicious considering the story Otto told her, "You're here, good, for a second I thought neither of you would show, Rae, Robin said you needed rest, but you look fine."

"Mental rest I suppose that's what he meant," Raven shrugged and stepped into the old historical house with Robin in tow, she scanned her surroundings and shuttered. Full of energy, magic, power, her violet eyes side-glanced Marisa as she closed the door, "after all, it's been awhile since I've ever been snatched-up."

Marisa blinked in astonishment then lead the two of them towards the back of the mansion where Raven had a feeling would be some kind of outdoor picnic waiting for them, "So … you've been under that kind of treatment before?"

"Sort of, but I went willingly …" ushered into a lanai that looked over the sea; they were perched on hill surrounded by weeping willows. It shaded them and just made the place seem even cozier. Raven took a seat on one of the chairs, but Robin sat on the guardrail next to them while Raven sighed and fiddled with the sapphire bracelet Robin had given her. Only to catch herself in such a ridiculous act and stopped, resting her hands on her lap she sighed and continued to play the perfect guest. Something that never went unnoticed by the silent thief, "… I tried to save my friends … but they were the ones ending up having to save me."

"Wow …" Raven noticed that Marisa hadn't have asked under what circumstance was she captured, and whether or not Marisa cared wasn't her problem as Raven watched her flip her blond hair away from her face and tilted her head, "… must have been interesting times."

Raven nodded, "You can say that … it's almost like magic the way time flies."

Marisa giggled and looked up at Robin then gasped in sudden excitement and leaned into the table as if to share some kind of secret with Raven, "Oh! Did Rex ever tell you he was in a magic show once? It was so exciting."

"Really?" Raven pretended to be interested; glancing to Robin at the corner of her eye he rolled his eyes and shook his head with a scoff.

"It's not as exciting as you think it is. All I had to do was escape from a few cuffs is all, Marisa's just blowing everything out of – what the –!" Robin nearly fell off the guardrail as he leaned away from Marisa who had suddenly shot up from her seat and rushed up to him with a pair of real steel handcuffs. Naturally, being a thief, he flinched and glared at them, Raven almost expected him to hiss like a water-despising cat, "Put that shit away what the hell do you think you're doing! Do I even **want **to know why you have those?"

Marisa smirked innocently as she snatched his wrist and yanked him off the guardrail onto his feet, "No, not really, turn around, so you can show Rae your talent!"

Robin got to his feet and Raven blinked as Marisa showed off the cuffs as if she was some show girl. Displaying the cuff's durability, and allowing her to touch it to show its authenticity, before standing aside to _'present' _Robin who played along with that Hollywood smile of his. Slipping off his jacket as if he was modeling some knew fashion he threw it to the side then jerked an arm out and rolled up the sleeve, he did the same to the other then bowed before her. Marisa walked up to Raven and handed her the cuffs. Raven took it and raised a brow when Robin winked at her.

"It's to give trust to my audience that there is no trick to be had in this little show." He spun around on his heel and brought his hands behind his back, hands spread open he crossed them over, wrist over wrist and Raven stood up, she took hold of one wrist and mercilessly snapped on the cuff. Robin winced, "Hey now, no need to be so hostile."

Raven ignored him and snapped on the other cuff then backed away and sat in her chair as Robin looked over his shoulder and in a devious smile he jerked his arms apart, to show that she had cuffed him nice and tight. However, when he brought them together, then jerked them apart one more time, somehow his hands were outside of the cuffs and it was dangling on his thumbs! Turning around to face her he swirled them around his finger and snickered as Raven looked away while Marisa clapped, "An original escape artist."

_Not surprised, _Raven thought dryly and grabbed a glass of water to drink while Robin sat back on the guard rail.

"What's the matter angel? Not interesting enough?"

Raven scoffed, "Child's play."

Marisa giggled and Robin snorted and threw the cuffs at Raven, "You're stale."

Raven held up her hand and stopped the cuffs, Marisa immediately stopped laughing, "Oh my god …"

With the cuffs levitating in mid-air, Raven handed it over to Marisa who gasped when it dropped in her hands and stared at Raven and Robin in shock, "Who … whi-which one … of you … did that?"

Robin shook his head and Raven looked up at Marisa, "Don't be so surprised Van'Gareth … I'm sure you know a few more up your sleeves."

Astonished, Marisa put the cuffs in her pocket while staring at Raven in deep thought she nodded her head and took a seat next to Raven. All the while Robin watched them, trying to understand what Raven was getting at, just before coming here, Raven said something about knowing an enemy of the Van'Gareths. Now she was acting as if she understood their entire history, and Marisa seemed prepared to expose a secret that even he didn't know about her.

"I, really, have no idea what you're talking about …" Marisa smiled cautiously.

Raven snorted and got up form her seat to walk away from the table along the lanai, "Go figure you wouldn't … so … I guess you wouldn't know anything about Malchior, now would you."

Marisa's eyes seemed to grow a fraction of an inch, but it soon returned to normal and she nervously fiddled with the table cloth. Robin narrowed his eyes and stared at Raven, "Who's Malchior?"

Raven didn't answer him, Marisa looked up at Raven.

"…"

"…"

"…"

No one said anything, no one, but Raven, "Maybe … this will refresh your memory …" she spun around and held out her hand her eyes glowing white, and shouted, _**"Flawthrex!"**_

X jumped to his feet, "Shit! Marisa –!"

"Robin! Down!" Marisa was already on her feet she held out her hand and received the full force of Raven's attack, catching it in her hand and bringing it close to her chest. She hunched over and X stared in shock as her light green eyes looked up at Raven and the fireball Raven threw at her in her hands was crushed and turned to ash.

Raven's eyes dimmed back to violet and she raised a sarcastic brow, "I take it you _**do **_know what I'm talking about."

X stayed tense preparing for anything, as Marisa glared at Raven, "Who are you?"

"Just your average everyday treasure hunter," Raven shrugged and leaned on the stoned guardrail looking out to the ocean, "although, I would like it if you could show me to your … _**special **_library. I need some harmless information from there."

Marisa glanced at X, and then turned back at Raven, "Harmless information? People like you don't use power for good; you do it for your own selfish need!"

"Me …? Selfish?" Raven rolled her eyes, "Looked in the mirror lately?"

Marisa faltered and backed up glancing discreetly at X with a disapproving frown.

Obviously suspicions about whether or not X had told Raven their little history, and not liking how he could

X never took notice; he was too busy staring at Raven, noticing something … wasn't right …

"_Like she knows what true power really is …" _Raven's breath caught … that voice … it was her father's … no … it was hers … no her father's, she wasn't sure … but she could hear it with the same malicious intent dripping from every word it whispered in the back of her head, _"… maybe we should show her …"_

Her eyes dimmed black, but back to violet when she clenched the guardrail for her life and tried as hard as she could to appear perfectly sane, but X could sense something was wrong and rushed up to her side. Marisa blinked in confusion as she watched him put a hand on her back, and though she didn't hear what they were saying she turned away feeling awkward just standing there as X tended to whatever need Raven had. "You alright?"

"_This fool is starting to grate on my last nerve … kill him!"_

"No," Raven blurted out, closed her eyes and gritted her teeth then shook her head, "I mean … Marisa, her family is a descendent of a strong line of sorcery … no doubt she should have a library containing the potion we need … we have to get down there …"

"Not in this state," X protested, and Raven nodded.

"I know … I know, I'll wait at the car."

"You sure?"

Raven looked into his eyes and reassured him, "Better that then to find Marisa floating dead along the beach shore."

He got the point, but shrugged, "But what am I looking for?"

"Anything within the category of slave control, that kind of thing."

"_Are you letting him live?! How dare you! Kill him! NOW!"_

Raven felt herself blacking out, but she maintained control long enough to feel X slipping an arm around her waist helping her back towards the front of the estate, she even heard him tell Marisa to just stay put and he'll be back. Only reaching the main-entrance, Raven fell to her knees. X grunted, not exactly expecting her sudden collapse, "Come on Raven, on your feet, we have to at least get you to the stairs, AH!"

Claws, claws dug into his shoulder, he heard her growling, but when she jerked her head up to look at him her eyes may have momentarily turned black, but they flashed back to violet and gave him a desperate expression for help, "I can't … you have to … get Marisa … and go …"

"I told you once, I'm not going anywhere." he promised despite the vise grip she had on his shoulder, he gasped when she pulled her claws out, but still held him as she struggled to fight her own mind.

That sweet smell wafted under her noise …

She remembered that smell from last night …

His _**blood**_ …

_**Sweet … intoxication,**_ she held her breath for as long as she could to deny her insane self the pleasure of wanting more of him as he pressed her body against his and carried her to her feet. She leaned on him for a moment and the urge to breath kicked in, she inhaled deeply and took in his scent, vanilla and some kind of soap, but another side of her smelt only two things. He was male and his blood was sweet, she groaned unwillingly, and X thought that she must have been in pain, "Raven? What's wrong?"

She held onto his clothes, held on for dear life and mumbled incoherently into his shirt.

"What?"

"I … _**need **_you," she looked up her eyes still violet, but the white parts were bleeding black as she grinned a fanged grin and tip toed up to hover mere centimeters close to a dangerous kiss, "If I can't _**kill **_you, then I'll have you."

Faster than she could once again dig her claws into his shoulder X slid out of her grasp and from his pocket pulled out another of Otto's antidotes, only a small dose, but he was sure it'll control her. Because as far as he could tell, with her bowed head and haggard breathing, she was fighting with determination to win, X slowly approached her, "Raven … if you're in control, node your head."

She whimpered and shook, and with much strength she nodded, X rushed up to her and stabbed the needle into her shoulder, "You're going to feel numb for a few minutes, maybe a little light headed, but other than that … just … sit right here and **don't **move."

Again, she nodded and followed his instructions, sitting down in lotus form though slightly hunched she got in her meditative pose and closed her eyes, _**"Az-azarath … Me-me-metrion … Zinthous … Azarath … Metrion … Zinthous …"**_

Slowly X backed away and stuffed the needle back in his pocket, checking to be sure she was still sane he hesitantly turned away to return to Marisa, glancing at his bleeding shoulder he winced when he moved it. Other than that he was thinking of the perfect lie to tell Marisa … who apparently had come from a long line of witches, _Yeah … how do you handle that fact … _He thought dryly, as he stopped just short of entering the lanai staring at Marisa who stared back at him as if she was afraid of what he might think now that he knew the truth. He chuckled when her eyes bugged out at his shoulder, "No big deal, uh … Rae just sort of … slipped on the stairs. Her nails were sharper than I expected."

Marisa got closer to him and frowned saying softly, "Liar … unless she dug them in … these were done intentionally."

"Cutie," X smirked, "I may be a liar, but I'm not the one that's a witch here … now … as long as we're being completely honest with ourselves. Mind sharing with me your little potion collection."

Marisa looked away from him and her frown deepened, "Ah … Rex … I don't think that's such a –"

With a hand on her cheek, Marisa looked up and her breath was stolen when his hypnotically beautiful onyx eyes bore into her soul and she knew that she could just **never **deny him. With her throat suddenly becoming a desert she gulped and blushed when he whispered sweetly, "Marisa … despite what you may think … I still consider you a close friend … I've forgiven you for the things you've done." Then, he grinned, and she shuttered, "Besides, you owe me after that little incident sometime ago, messy subject dealing with pregnancy scares."

He looked into her light-green eyes and saw that he nailed her like a sucker stuck on lollipops and lemon-drops, completely wrapped around his widdle-fwingers … just the way he liked'em.

"Fine … but you must swear to me on your life that you'll keep this a secret and Rae to! Even though I'd like to talk to her about Malchior …" she added as an afterthought as she broke away from Robin and sighed in frustration.

Robin raised a brow, "By the way, who's Malchior."

"Not really a _'who'_ whereas to _'what'_," Marisa gestured for him to follow her along the lanai down the stairs into a basement, "Rex … Malchior's a dragon that my _**distant **_cousin Rorek of Nol had faced and defeated. That was a few thousand years ago … there is no possible explanation that Rae could give to know about him!"

"Unless this dragon wasn't really _'defeated'_ in the first place."

Marisa scoffed, "Let's hope that's not the case, think chameleon and that phantom thief who died a few days ago when you're thinking about Malchior, he can be the wolf in sheep's clothing and is smart enough to fool a Titan into thinking he's like their best friend or something. Trust me, he's not the kind of enemy _**neither **_of us wants in this time of year where honor means nothing and chivalry is dead."

"Right … but I can't agree with you on the chivalry is dead part, at least not where I'm concerned." Robin tilted his head towards Marisa who giggled and on her tip-toes she reached up and looked ready to kiss him full on the lips, but stopped suddenly and pecked his cheek. Robin couldn't help to chuckle, "Why'd you stop?"

She sighed she shrugged, "You have someone else in your life right now … I can see it in your eyes."

He scoffed and ran a finger along her hair to get it out of her face, "What she don't know won't hurt her."

Marisa laughed, "And you say chivalry isn't dead?"

"I don't have a girl, Marisa."

"And Rae –"

"Rae," Robin stopped her, "is another story … we're _'colleges' _I guess you can say and you know me, strict rule with people I work with."

Marisa giggled and finally brought the both of them down into a hidden basement, putting her hand on the wooden ancient door. It glowed red for a few seconds then opened on its own accord to allow her into the chamber. Robin took a step, but cried out when he was suddenly thrown out and slammed against a stone wall. Marisa gasped and ran for him, "Robin!"

"Agh … what the fuck?!" Robin held on to the back of his head, rubbing it to feel for any bleeding. Of course he knew he wasn't, it was just human nature to be sure as he brought a hand in view to see nothing was wrong. Only that he had a big headache and he was thrown a good 6 feet from the door. He gave Marisa a hard look then asked, "What the hell was that?"

Marisa glanced back at the door to see the barrier waver back into its invisible form and she looked embarrassed, "I'm sorry Robin, I forgot, only my families' allowed in there, it's been like that since the witch scare and my great-great-great-great-so-and-so grandmother was nearly burned at the stake."

Robin growled, "You know, that would have been a lot more helpful before I stepped in."

He winced and looked at his shoulder, Marisa sighed and helped him to his feet, "I wish I knew how to break the barrier … it's powerful … **very **much so."

"Yeah … but two heads are better than one … I'll be right back," Robin rushed out of the cellar back towards the main-entrance where he knew he left Raven, "Angel, I need … your … help …? Raven?"

Raven …

Was gone … and the door was left wide open …

--

"Who would you prefer to be your best friend? Paris Hilton? Or Hilary Duff?"

Jamie cringed, "Ooo … I'd have to go with Paris Hilton."

Otto raised a curious brow, "Why? I thought you hated Paris."

"Yeah, but Hilary's too '_Disney_', she'll call me up on a frickin' Monday and ask if I want to come over for nice game of checkers! At least with Paris, I'll have an excuse to tell my boyfriend why I'm getting laid without him."

"Why do you do that? If you really don't like him, and he's possessive why cling to him?"

"Because he's fun," Jamie shrugged when Otto gave her a dry look, "what? I told you, if I had the chance I'd be with Rob right now I'd take it in a heartbeat."

"Well you have multiple chances."

"He's working on a case … and when he works on a case nothing can stop the bastard, a fuckin' obsessed workaholic, **despite **his laid back appearance. That nonchalant attitude of his? It's an act! It just means he's thinking, that's why he's such a fuckin' genius!"

Otto shrugged, "I don't know, I'd like to think he's just lucky with talent."

Jamie rolled her eyes, "You can go a head and think what you will, I still say he's an obsessed bastard that takes life **way **too seriously."

"Wouldn't that conflict with the fact that he's chilled and doesn't give a damn most of the time?"

Jamie glared at her brother, "Oh shut-up, why do you always have to ruin my image on the guy anyway, I mean I know you don't like him so much, but come on! Can't a girl dream?"

_**Brriiinnnggg …!**_

The phone rang …

Jamie scoffed and leaned back in her chair while Otto answered the phone, "Hello?"

"_Otto! Activate the homing device, Raven's vanished!"_

"What!" Otto looked at his sister who tilted her head and blinked, "Al-alright … hold on … what homing device?"

"_The one I put on the gift I gave her!"_

"Wait, you got her a gift?"

Jamie jumped to her feet and took the phone away to scream excitedly, "You gave her a gift? AWE! That is SO sweet! You never give your flings gifts!"

Otto slapped his forehead and stole the phone back, "Jamie!"

She shrugged, "Sorry."

"Rob, what are you –"

"_I didn't tell you guys? Fuck! Run to Hawthorne, break in if you have to, just get to my room and activate the tracker. Call me on _**this **_number once you find her."_

"Got it." Otto hung down and turned to Jamie, "We gotta run."

"He got her a gift … wow …" Jamie thought as she followed her brother, "Otto! He got her a gift!"

"It had a homing device. What kind of a gift is that?"

"It means he cares!" Jamie squealed, "Oh my god! I'm totally freaking out!"

Otto rolled his eyes, "Ya think? Focus Jamie Raven's gone!"

"Right, right she's … Raven's gone!"

Since they were already in the car, Otto slammed on the brakes and gave his sister a disbelieving look, "I can **NOT **believe you just noticed that, because if you're really that slow I will disown you as my sister _**right. Now."**_

"What? Being a little slow on the up take while noticing that your friend is acting a little weird is normal. You can't tell me you're not the **least **bit curious about the whole gift thing!"

Otto started up the car again shaking his head thinking, _This, can't be my sister …_

Jamie squealed in her own head, _Ooo I am so going to nail his ass for this one!_

--

_**ZZIINNGG!**_

Raven leapt up high and flipped over the flying daggers that targeted her, dropping on one knee and her hand on the ground she looked back and couldn't believe what she was seeing! _Cheshire … the assassin? _That's right, the masked assassin stood up on a branch in the trees holding daggers in one hand, a sword on her back, a freaky cat mask on her face and in a short kimono. She appeared to glare down at Raven and faster than sorceress could calculate she vanished from sight and from behind her whipped her long hair around and nailed Raven on the back of the head.

"AH!" going down face first on the dirt, Raven gritted her teeth and dug her claws into the ground, grabbing dirt and leaves she flung them back at the assassin who was ready to put a dagger in the back of her head.

Caught off guard by the desperate attempt, Cheshire stumbled back, and yelped when Raven swept her off her feet and climbed on top, gripping her neck. Cheshire flipped Raven off of her and slammed her into a near by tree. Raven quickly got to her feet and held up her arms to block a swift kick to her face, grabbing her ankle; Raven pulled her close and smashed her elbow in the mask then threw Cheshire to the ground. Cheshire dropped, but didn't stay down, Raven ended up having to evade her once again when sharp knife like claws swiped at her again and again until her eyes glowed white, _**"Azarath! Metrion! Zinthous!"**_

Raven threw up the roots from the trees and used them as her own weapons against Cheshire's swift moves. The assassin darted in and out nimbly through the attacking roots, chopping any that got in her away then all together, just disappeared. Raven panted and gulped, catching her breath she stayed on guard and sensed for movement … her aura … trying to feel her out, then, out of the sudden Raven heard the knifes swiping from behind.

As fast as she could, Raven ducked down, but not fast enough, one of the long blades made a shallow cut along her back as she rolled to avoid the cat. Staying low, Raven jumped back when Cheshire stabbed down into her and stupidly got her blades stuck in the dirt. Giving Raven the chance to charge and deliver a hard kick to the side of her head, it not only knocked Cheshire's blades out of the ground, but flung her a good few feet to the left.

Skidding to a stop, Cheshire propped herself up on her elbows and hesitated when she saw Raven's glowing white eyes, obviously the rumor about Raven being dead was still circulating. Raven took that as an advantage and levitated, bringing up the fallen willow vines that Cheshire had cut down during their brawl, Raven swirled it around the assassin and disoriented her giving Raven the chance to disappear. Only to reappear far away from Cheshire's spot, leaning against another tree.

Raven closed her eyes and caught her breath, _She's fast … _she thought tiredly and in defeat as she bowed her head, _I'm not so skilled in physical combat –!_ Raven let out a surprise yelp when she felt someone grab her and slap a hand around her mouth to silence her. Recognizing the aura she slightly calmed down, but glared as X whispered, "Where the hell do you get off running into Willow Grove? This place is big enough to get lost in if you don't know your way around."

He let her go and Raven hissed, "Shut-up! I was chased by Cheshire …"

His masked eyes widened, "Cheshire? What the hell does she want … with you …"

Raven didn't catch his sudden loss of thought as she gritted her teeth.

"I don't know, but apparently someone put a hit on me," Raven peered around, paranoid; they were making too much noise.

X shook his head, "No … it's not a hit … it's a test …"

Raven turned back on X and gave him an odd look, "What are you talking about?"

"What I mean is …" X hesitated to say and Raven waited for an answer, but he suddenly changed subjects, "Fuck! Marisa's still back at the house, let's go!"

X took off and Raven followed, but X tripped over a hidden rope that exposed the giant tiger hole in the middle of the ground complete with spikes, he fell right into it, but Raven caught his ankle and held on for dear life. She grunted when she felt how heavy he was and how hard it was to keep him suspended when a moment of panic washed over him, "Holy shit! Who the fuck put **that **there! Raven! Pull me up now!"

Raven gritted her teeth and tried to find some common ground, "Stop moving damnit!"

"You try dangling with your head close to a fucking spike and see how you like it!"

"Do you want me to drop you! You damn bastard!"

"That shit ain't funny!" Raven took a deep breath, calmed down and using her powers she floated X out of the pit and dropped him on the ground next to her. He stayed there for a moment panting trying to drop his adrenaline down to a minimum as he gulped, closed his eyes and growled, "Goddamn … since when had Marisa set traps on her property?"

"I don't think that was Marisa's." Raven got up and dusted herself off from the dirt, but stopped and huffed, there was no use looking pretty – _ssssshhhhh! _Raven spun around when she heard an arrow aimed at her heart, catching it just inches before it hit, she stumbled and nearly tripped into the same pit she pulled X out of, but steadied herself and stared at the arrow. Noticing it had a strange dangling paper on the end that was on fire, it almost cost Raven her life if she wasn't fast enough to register just what it was.

It was a letter bomb!

She tossed it into the pit and cringed when the explosion was strong enough to pop her ears, X scrambled to his feet and looked around as Raven growled and grabbed his wrist, "Come on! She's after me, Marisa's safe."

"Yeah … –"

"Hold your breath!"

"Wha –!" X immediately listened when Raven dragged him into her darkness and before he knew it they were at the steps of Marisa's mansion just in front of his car. Not use to that kind of teleport, X tripped down the stairs and landed on his back, Raven hurried after him as he groaned and shuttered at the chill that went down his spine, "Ugh … am I supposed to feel so cold?

"Get up," Raven ordered, "we have to get out of here."

He listened, and walked to the driver's side, but asked, "But what about the potion thing? I mean …"

"Never mind that, we have to go." He growled and got in, started the car and pulled out of Marisa's estate, traveling down the same road they came, Raven leaned on the chair and closed her eyes tiredly finally getting a chance to relax.

However, knowing her luck, she wasn't about to get a wink of R&R anytime soon as X finally said what he was supposed to back at the Grove, "Raven … that was a test by Slade … he wanted you to loose control … Cheshire was a sacrifice, you were supposed to kill her."

"…" Raven opened her eyes and narrowed them on X who glanced at her for a moment then set his sights back on the road as she sat up and scooted as far away from him as she could within the car. Bowing her head and letting her long locks fall to cover her face she gripped the car door handle and said in a sort of chocked tone, "… stop the car …"

He didn't.

Raven gritted her teeth, and felt her claws dig into the leather upholstery of his car as she growled dangerously low, "I said … **Stop. The. Car.**"

"…" not wanting to be the cause of her wrath – even though that was a bit late – he pulled over on the side of the road and Raven yanked the knob and got out of the car, taking off the bracelet he gave her, she threw it in his car and stormed down the road by herself. X just sat there, his head leaning back against the car seat feeling like a complete moron. Reaching down to grab the sapphire she tossed he got out of the car and jogged to catch up with the briskly walking Raven, "Raven … hold on, Cheshire could still be tracking you … could you stop!"

"I could," she snapped back sarcastically, never looking over her shoulder or bother to even try and look at the thief just because of the tears that were rolling down her face, but like the true heartless Ice Queen her voice was steady and cold, "but it doesn't mean I'm going to."

She reached up to wipe the escaped tears away and sighed, looking the other way when she sensed X had caught up to her and was walking beside her on her right. He attempted to stop her with a hand on her shoulder, but she smacked it away and practically ran from his reach forcing him to keep up, "You're being unreasonable."

Raven scoffed and waved her finger in the air, "_**I'm **_being unreasonable he says … he works with Slade and expects me to jump off the damn bridge because he says so?"

X scowled and glared at her, folding his arms across his chest he called out to her, "And _**she's **_acting like a damn spoiled brat."

"Oh?" Raven spun around and mocked him, "and let's not forget that _**he's **_the one born into riches."

"His mother _**married **_into riches … did he not just tell her that Leon wasn't his father?"

She snorted and turned back around to continue walking, "Like she's supposed to believe you."

X rolled his eyes and caught up to her, "Then who else are you going to believe? I'm the only one out here that you know! What the fuck am I missing that gives you the right to keep dissin' me from point A to point B!"

She couldn't take it anymore … she couldn't take how clueless he could be … so she told him off, at least she would have if he hadn't made a sudden move, and Raven couldn't help to flinch back when he got a hold of her wrist and pulled her close to him. Bracing for some kind of impact, she instead watched as he snapped on the sapphire around her wrist … but still held onto her, not tightly, but not so gently either. Just about right to give her the idea that he wasn't going to let go. She seethed, never looking up, but glaring at the ground angry with herself … no, angry with him … or … was she just frustrated about the whole confusion of the situation?

Raven didn't know, and she didn't want to know especially when X let her wrist go and he walked away from her, back to the car, hands in his pocket with a slow deliberate pace. He wanted her to follow him … and she didn't want to … but did she really have a choice? Yes, yes she did … just like back in Steel City … she could choose to run – or fly – far away … maybe contact the Titans. Get her way back home … she could run and never have to deal with X again.

She knew she had that choice … and a while back when her train of thought was different she knew she would have taken that chance with out a single doubt in her mind. So what stopped her now? Raven wasn't quite sure … but as she glanced down at the sapphire wrapped around her wrist … a different kind of pain clenched her heart. Looking up at X, she saw he had stopped about half-way between her and his car with his head slightly tilted to look back at her … he was waiting … he wasn't pushing her … he was waiting.

Why would he?

He could just leave her there … unless he had another agenda – and Raven was damn sure he did have other things to deal with.

He could even just drag her into the car, knock her out, and lock her up somewhere.

Treat her like dirt …

Like a little toy to play with whenever he so pleased.

He could be just like Slade and use her to his advantage.

He had choices, same as her …

So what stopped him?

Were their answers the same?

Were their _**questions **_the same?

He looked away, but never moved …

She did the same and the wind blew between them, trying to fill a gap that was hopelessly spread apart after the wall had been knocked down. Both were too stubborn to move, neither even had an _**idea **_of what to do, even how to proceed after almost everything has been said. Most things said out of anger and frustration rather than being thoughtful or meaningful … yet … then again … neither was very good at expressing meaningful words without being set off.

She sighed.

He shifted.

Raven closed her eyes and took the first step to close their gap.

A damning step on her behalf, it symbolized defeat and submission to his power over her and she almost expected him to turn around and smirk at her approach. Yet, when he did turn around, what she saw was the exact opposite; he looked almost regretful that she was coming towards him. She could just feel his emotions spiraling out of control, was he just as confused and frustrated as she was? Raven wasn't a psychic, she wouldn't know … all she knew was, by the time she was a foot away from him he was making his way back to the car.

_**ZING!**_

Raven blinked when out of the corner of her eye she saw something sharp and shiny cutting through the trees just off the side of the road, it wasn't headed for her … but for the unsuspecting Thief. _Oh, no … _Suddenly life seemed to come to a screeching halt as she found herself lunging forward to protect him, her arm with the sapphire on it stretched out, the gem shimmered under the reflection of the sun as her hand snatched his shirt and yanked him back, "Robin!"

Startled he turned to face her, but as he did the sharp object that turned out to be a dagger made its last revolution and the blade impaled itself into the left side of his chest. Hard enough to jerk him back, his onyx-eyes widened in more shock than pain as he fell, Raven felt herself fall with him, on her knees, by his side completely dumbstruck as she whispered his name, "Robin …"

Cheshire, hidden within the trees tilted her head and pulled up a communicator, "… Mission accomplished …"

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Teen Titans, so get off my back about it!**

**A/N: HAHAHA!! I killed him! Score! But … seriously … if you're not lost by now than it's a damn miracle, and if I have held your interest for this long is another miracle, I was actually expecting people to stop reading – **

**Not that I want you to stop reading, no! By all means …**

**Just review, drop a comment, and because I'm such a good nice girl … I'll spoil you with a little bit of the next chapter.**

_**Preview:**_

Raven damn near fainted when his sapphire blue eyes made contact with hers and widened nearly as big as hers. Time crawled to a halt when he shot up from the couch and his mouth dropped open … Raven froze and lucky for her no one else was in the vicinity or else people would be looking at her funny when she whispered his name. His _**alias, **_"… _Robin …?"_

"… … … Raven?"

_Oh … God …_

**L8er daze!**


	11. The Shade of Complications

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Complications+**

_"It doesn't hurt to dream ... but it hurts to wake up."_

"_Bu … but that's all wrong!"_

_**SMACK!**_

"_Robin!"_

"_Shut-up Loe-Laina! If this kid is anything like you make him out to be, then he shouldn't be so scared to pull this off."_

_Pleading blue eyes filled with tears as she watched her precious 7 year-old-son pull himself back on his feet after being violently treated by the dreaded man who stood before them. The king cobra in the snake pit of the illegal world, Little Robin got as far as his hands and knees before he felt a hand full of his hair viciously yank him up off the ground back to his feet. The much larger man grabbed his shoulders and shook him to make sure he got his full attention. Robin dared not make a single peep … he already made a _**huge **_mistake by opening his mouth and protesting the man's proposal._

_Bravely – if not stupidly – he looked up and the man scowled down at him as if pissed off at the defiant glimmer in the little boy's eyes. Robin blinked then looked down at his mother who was on her knees with two of the man's henchmen holding her down. She looked so scared … so hurt … and filled with so much regret that her broken-heart spilled from her eyes, streamed down her face, and dripped down onto the filthy floor. Yet … despite her tears … Robin saw the weakness he knew she had and he frowned and bowed his head in defeat … once again succumbing to his mother's power._

"_I … I'm sorry …" he whispered and the man released him – well, more like pushed him back down on the floor – Robin gritted his teeth and suppressed the urge to cry._

_He couldn't cry … it meant weakness if he did …_

"_Sorry isn't going to get me that chip, brat," the man growled and Robin balled his hands into fists, clenching and unclenching it the child got back to his feet. _

_Then … as if another soul had taken over he looked up with a sadistic smirk on his face and a dangerous glitter in his onyx eyes, "I know … but the only reason why I said it's all wrong was because your plan of execution was sloppy, hate to disappoint … but I got a better idea."_

_The man raised a brow and glanced over suspiciously at Loe-Laina, then shot a malicious glare down at the kid, "You pullin' my leg?"_

"_Nope!" Robin pulled out from his pocket a long strip of black cloth bowed his head and wrapped it around his head. Tying it tightly then looking up to show it was an eye mask, he winked and grinned, "Instead of going in from below … we'll go in from _**above**_ no one will ever suspect it because the ventilation in the roof is highly vulnerable to penetration. Hack into the security, drop a bug and all you got to do is give me 5 minutes."_

_One of the henchmen sneered, "That's pushin' it, what do you think the security guards are? Stupid?"_

_Robin chuckled, "No, just technologically impaired … it'll take their mines a minute to realize that something's wrong, then it'll take them a few more minutes to try and figure out the matter, and by the time they find out that someone bugged their system I'll have already gotten in the vault."_

_The kind cobra in the snake pit narrowed his eyes, "But then how will you get out if they already found out someone's in the building?"_

"_Boss! You've not seriously taking this kid for his word!"_

"_We've hired him for his reputation … might as well see what he can do."_

_Robin stuck his tongue out at the henchman and looked up at the boss, "Just let me handle that …"_

**((--+-+-+--))**

"… _and … as a final note to bring up … I'd like to announce my step-son, Robin, as my permanent successor."_

_Robin jerked his head back his eyes going wide with shock, as the crowd erupted in full applause and the light shone on him. Feeling a bit apprehensive, he gulped and nearly jumped when he felt his mother's hand on his shoulder he looked down at her wide approving smile, "You see … it all worked out in the end …"_

"_Robin!" Robin turned to his right to see Marisa coming towards him, practically pulling him away from his mother with a tight huge she kissed him on the cheek and stared up at him with such a bright excited expression, "Wow … you've become the successor to the Xander Corporation … aren't you happy?"_

_Perplexed and feeling like this was all a dream Robin rubbed the back of his neck and blinked a few times chuckling nervously – which was quite an amazing feat considering it took a lot to make him nervous, "Heh … define happy … isn't this kind of … I don't know, sudden? Besides, I don't have the same last name as his, this seems –"_

"_Actually I changed it," Robin spun on his mother and stared into her soft blue eyes as she giggled as if she shared an amazing secret … which – in this case – it was because this was the first time he's heard of it, "Leon told me his plans and so I had your name changed from Street to Xander … isn't that wonderful?"_

_Robin blinked, "Is that even legal? I'm 16 don't I have a frickin' say in that."_

"_Well, because you are 16 and still a minor, not really … but since when has that stopped us in the past?" Lola, formally known as Loe-Laina grinned and leaned into her husband when he came down from his pedestal to wrap his arm around his wife's waist, Robin suddenly felt a chill run up and down his spine when Leon smirked._

_He obviously didn't hear his wife's last comment, but that didn't stop him from delivering the final piece to the puzzle that Robin had a gut feeling he'll be suffering in the near future, "Of course, you'll get the name, the company and everything that comes with it in full … but only on the condition that I pass away suddenly, or he gets married, which ever comes first … but of course, if he should have a child out of wed-lock he will be disinherited, but that part's still hasn't been finalized, so don't worry about it."_

_Marisa stood next to Robin and held onto his arm and tilted her head, "Gee, Mr Xander, don't you think that's kind of harsh?"_

"_On the contrary my dear, I think it's sensible for a young man like Robin, he needs to learn that patience is a virtue and I'm dreadfully old-fashion."_

_Robin held his head for a moment and took it all in, trying to take it all in stride, but still stumbling on the correct words to expression what he was feeling, he couldn't exactly say he was excited. Only because he was barely even interested in the business world to begin with, and he couldn't say he was disappointed, because, hey, free money, who could argue with that? He could sell the company and make a profit, no skin of his back because he wasn't a legitimate son and nor did he feel like he held any moral obligation to the company._

_He was just …_

_Lost and numb …_

_Not exactly the feelings anyone should express when given something as spectacular as this, so he immediately shot up a mask and smiled coolly, "Well … I don't know … I guess I'm happy … thanks, Leon."_

_Leon nodded and before he could say anything more he was called to converse with a few other business associates, leaving Lola to reach a hand up to hr son's cheek and whisper softly, "Happy Birthday, Robin."_

_He couldn't say any more for Marisa had tugged him to the dance floor insisting that they have at least one dance before the night was through, "Hey … you wanna know something funny … Robin Eli Xander … Rex."_

_Robin smirked, "Rex … what? Is that my new nickname?"_

_Marisa giggled, "… Yep."_

_His smirk grew into a grin, if only she knew he had more nicknames than hip-hop artists._

**((--+-+-+--))**

_It sank in … the blood … the dagger … the blue sky that was changing colors with the different splotches of dots lining his vision. X hissed when the pain sank in and gritted his teeth, "Ah … shit …"_

_He reached up to the dagger in his chest, only to have his hand clenched by softer, smaller, and delicate hands. He blinked and glanced up to his left to see it was the last person on Earth he expected to be staring at him with a such a helpless expression, whispering his name … his real name, "Robin … god … I'm sorry …"_

_He gulped when he felt something peeking up at the back of his throat, his tongue tasted iron _Not good …_ he thought faintly as he hissed when another stab – not excusing the pun – of pain shot through his body when he opened his mouth to talk, "Wha … what are you … sorry for?"_

_The Titan bit down on her lip._

"…"

_She didn't know …_

_She didn't know what she was sorry for … but for some odd reason she felt responsible and looked at the dagger. Ignoring his question she got her brain to finally work, "… It's in pretty deep … I don't think I can take it out … without the risk of loosing you … but …"_

_X blinked … then blinked again and gave her an odd look, trying ever so hard to ignore the pain as his chest protested his breathing; he bore with it as he studied her agonizing expression. What was she sorry for? Since when had her cold violet eyes become so watery and filled with worry? For him? He thought she hated him … he thought she wanted nothing more to do with him … he thought … he thought of a lot of things and suddenly felt his head swirl. Getting dizzy as the world kept spinning and the taste of his own blood tarnished his mouth … and … was it his imagination, or was he drooling?_

_No, his blood was dripping out of the corner of his mouth._

_It suddenly became a hazard to breath for fear of drowning himself._

_However that didn't help stop the world from spinning, he closed his eyes, there … that was better … but the pain was still there. Maybe … maybe if he fell a sleep for a moment, yeah, that'll help, but Raven wouldn't allow him the luxury, "Robin! Look at me … can you hear me?"_

Barely …_ he wanted to say, but he suddenly felt so tired … numb … cold, but her hands, they were warm on his face as she stared down at him, "… This might hurt a bit …"_

"_Wha –!"_

_Before he could process what she meant she grabbed the handle of the dagger, braced herself, then as fast as she could without making the problem any worse she yanked it out and X screamed and coughed up his own blood. Raven dropped the dagger and pressed her hand to his chest to keep the blood from flow, she gulped when she watched his face contort into many different expressions of agony. She could feel his heart beating slowly … but that was good … at least the dagger missed his heart and gave him a chance, "Fuck Raven! That shit hurts!"_

"_Stop moving and lay still!" Raven gritted her teeth and sighed to cool her nerves, "Now listen … I'm going to heal you … but whatever happens after that … … … just lay still …"_

"_What … what are you doing!"_

_She ignored him and closed her eyes, falling into a deep trance like state and chanted her mantra, __**"Azarath … Metrion … Zinthous …"**_

**((--+-+-+-))**

_**Knock! Knock! Knock!**_

That was the first thing that he heard, and the first thing that came to mind was if a midget was drilling holes in his head. Being that he had a very low temper when it came to being awaken from his slumber, his short patience was already starting to short circuit. That is … until he heard the conversation and an awfully familiar voice that participated.

"Oh! Miss Roth … I –"

"Robin's still sleeping, what do you want?" It was Raven … but he wasn't sure if he heard right … did she just call him by his name? Preparing for light to flood his eyes, he opened them, but was surprised to find himself staring up into the darkened ceiling of his room, dimly lit by his cracked open door.

"Um … Mrs. Xander was worried about him not eating for the whole day yesterday and this morning, so she assigned me to bring him some fo –"

"I'll take it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, thank you."

She closed the door, and by the time she sauntered back to his side with a tray of food, he had already propped himself up on his headboard his unbuttoned collared shirt falling off his shoulders to expose the white bandage wrapped around his chest. Hissing when his body protested his movement, he narrowed his eyes in the darkness to try and see the Titan who he heard set the tray down on the nightstand next to the bed and got into his bed with him.

Her small hand that he remembered which held his earlier slid onto his right shoulder, her voice low and unreadable, "You shouldn't be sitting up … stay down … Jamie will be here soon to check on your wounds … but they should be fine."

He whispered right back at her, "Well if it should be fine … then I don't see why I have to lay down."

"Well at least don't move so much," Raven slipped her hand away from him, "It's just a safety precaution …"

Before she could go anywhere she felt him reach out to take a hold of her wrist, to stop her from leaving, then slowly he slid his hand down to weave his fingers into hers and gently pull her back to him. Obeying without question, she looked up into his dark eyes that stared at her, for the first time, without his inner mask, all barriers dropped and she saw right into his soul. Her heart rate picked up when his other hand came up to hook under her chin and bring her face close to his till he was the only thing she could see and vise-versa.

"You saved my life, Angel … why?"

It was more of a plea for an answer than he'd like to admit, Raven could feel it … and she was ashamed to say that she didn't have the answer he wanted from her. She couldn't tell him what he wanted to hear, because … because it wasn't right, despite the lack-luster response she'd give him. Rehearsed words from years passed that were embedded into her DNA since she became a hero, "It was the right thing to do … I couldn't just leave you there …"

It wasn't exactly a lie … but …

"You're _lying."_

Shrouded in darkness, where no one could see, where no one would know he pulled her even closer till she was near straddling his waist and Raven felt herself die for a split second at the realization of what he was about to do. Centimeters became millimeters till they were just a wisp of hair away, but both were just so hesitant, neither moved, neither wanted to breath because the sound of air passing through their nasal or their mouths suddenly became deafening. Not a sound was made, so quiet they could hear the pounding of each other's hearts … the only question on Raven's mind was why he wasn't hasty to take her.

And why was she even anticipating it?

"… Robin …?"

"…"

_**Click!**_

_**SWOOSH!**_

His window opened and the curtains automatically slid back to reveal the hazardous sunlight that even Raven wasn't prepared for and buried her head in X's shoulder. X closed his eyes and winced when his body acted on reflex and held Raven close to him, momentarily glancing in the direction of the window he sneered when Jamie and Otto jumped through the window and landed in the middle of his room. Jamie stretching, "Wooo! OH RAAAAVEN! We're ba – ack! Whoa … did we come at a wrong time? I see you're finally up."

Raven shook herself from X's grasp and leaned away, kneeling on his bed as X shifted and slid his shirt back on his shoulders, muttering in exasperation, "Jamie … what are you doing here?"

"What?" Jamie shrugged as she walked up to his bed and glanced at the food on the nightstand. Licking her lips she snatched up a cream-puff and popped it in her mouth, with an expression on her face that read she was in ecstasy she sighed and giggled after she swallowed the delicious treat, "Didn't Raven tell you? I'm taking care of you."

"That's not what I meant," X glared, "I told you, if ever our position was compromised we were to head straight to Tomika Point! What are we still doing in Hawthorne!"

"Marisa …" Raven informed, X turned on her with a raised brow and Raven got off the bed and straightened out her outfit, "… we still haven't gotten her potion, but she called yesterday to ask what had happened, I told her the truth … but left out the Slade part."

X blinked, "You told her that you're under a submission spell?"

Raven nodded, "Yeah … and so she's coming over today to drop off the potion to transfer masters, apparently she doesn't have anything to eliminate the spell on me entirely."

"… Transfer masters?"

"Yes … meaning, Slade won't have any control over me, but someone in this room will …"

She didn't have to say it …

X knew she meant that someone would be him … and he didn't know whether to be honored or suspicious because she was being so cooperative.

Maybe it was the thought of working for Slade that got her eager to put herelf at his mercy.

Jamie whistled as she checked up on X's condition glad that his wounds were healing up nicely – mostly due to the fact that Raven for the passed few hours helped … a _**lot**_. She thought it was incredible the way magic works wonders on the human body … although she couldn't exactly have been happy about Raven's decision. Because since the Titan was an empath she not only helped X heal, but took on the weight of his pain and a few times as she was healing him she passed out for hours at a time.

However, she couldn't help to think how incredibly cute it was to see how much Raven actually cared!

Even though she said it was strictly business and a payback for the times X had helped her … Jamie didn't become a psychiatrist for nothing.

"Yeah … and speaking of control," Jamie glanced at her silent brother who walked over to Raven and took a hold of her arm, he took out a needle and without warning pressed it in and injected Raven, "You're due for your daily dose, don't want you drifting while you're taking care of Rob, now do we?"

He pulled the needle out and walked over to the nearest trashcan and tossed it dusting his hands off while Raven massaged the tension in her arm. Rotating her shoulder and flexing her arm she sighed and walked over to the curtains in X's room. Using her power to turn on the lights of the room to a dim level she shut the window and curtains as Jamie helped X stand up from the bed. The sorceress stole a glance and couldn't help to notice how stubborn the thief could be … very similar to her leader in so many ways … but … _No … he's not the same … he's different … he's an unexpectedly nice person that has been taken advantage of too many times in his life … and now the only way he can deal with life _**is **_to take … never to give. Which would explain his selfishness … since no one in the world has ever cared for him as anything but a tool, he'll treat it with the same indifference._

Raven shuttered and immediately looked away before anyone found out she was staring at him … staring at his perfectly toned chest and abs exposed by the opened white button up. Despite the bandage wrapped around him, it never hindered his good-looks. Raven gulped and shook her head, it would not only be embarrassing if X noticed her staring, but the situation was becoming rather complicated. She cared … she cared for him in a way that no one on the opposite side of the law should … and she couldn't exactly revert her feelings because … she **understood **him now. She could sympathize with him and thus only helped her fall further in –

_**Knock! Knock! Knock!**_

Jamie and Otto stilled, Jamie running over to grab Otto's wrist, "Shit! Where do we hide!"

X growled at their panic, "It doesn't matter!"

"Okay! The closet it is!"

Otto jerked his head back, "Wha – no! Wait! Jamie!"

"Shut-up!"

**BAM!**

She slammed the closet shut and X sat back down on his bed, because he knew it would look bad if he trudged to the door with a bandage around his chest, Raven took it upon herself to answer it, but never allowed the servant in, who bowed lowly and respectively, "Ms. Roth, there's a visitor here to see you, I told them to stay in the parlor and that you'll be there shortly."

"Thank you," Raven closed the door and looked over her shoulder to X, "It's probably Marisa, just sit tight."

"No problem," he smiled at her … genuinely, sincerely smiled at her … and Raven gulped. He looked so honest and absolutely drop-dead gorgeous with that smile of his.

She put it out of her mind and exited the room, closing the door she headed down the hall towards the parlor where the servant had told her Marisa would be waiting for her. Straightening out her black skin-tight tang-top and low-rider jeans she flipped her violet hair back that had grown passed her hips at an alarming rate, so she pulled it up into a high pony-tail to keep it out of the way. Pausing just outside of the parlor, she took a breath and prepared to play high-class treasure-hunter, however when she entered, nothing could prepare her for what she saw.

Raven damn near fainted when his sapphire blue eyes made contact with hers and widened nearly as big as hers. Time crawled to a halt when he shot up from the couch and his mouth dropped open … Raven froze and lucky for her no one else was in the vicinity or else people would be looking at her funny when she whispered his name. His _**alias, **_"… _Robin …?"_

"… … … Raven?"

_Oh … God …_

**((--))**

"You know … you owe her now," Jamie said as she leaned against the bathroom door still inside Robin's room; however he was in his shower just finishing up while she filed her nails, "she saved your ass … and I mean putting her own health at risk."

"Actually I'd like to think we're even," came his response as he stepped out of the shower without a towel on and walked casually over to his closet. Entering it and closing the door behind him.

Jamie rolled her eyes and blew on her nails, "No, you're not even because only under false pretenses did you _'save'_ her … I mean, if I was her I'd have you wrapped around my fingers."

"Well she's not you thank god."

Otto sighed, "You know, besides this nautical conversation, can we discuss the issue of Cheshire and nearly killing you? What the hell was that all about? The Dago family?"

"No …" X came out and sighed tiredly leaning on the frame of the door with his eyes closed wearing a black wife-beater under an unbuttoned dark green flannelled shirt with faded blue jeans he reopened his eyes to stare at the ground for a moment, "… not after what Rae did to them … they're too scared to pull another stunt. It's gotta be someone else."

"Well then we're going to be here a while," Jamie huffed in annoyance, "because you have a long list of people you've pissed off this much to sic Cheshire on you."

"… It's Slade …" X sighed dejectedly as he smoothed back his damped hair, frowning, he growled, "… he knows I'm tampering with his control over her … and if he knew we were at Marisa's … we have to get out of here before he finds out Cheshire failed."

Otto perked up, "As a safety precaution, do you think he knows about Jamie or me?"

X shrugged, "If he did than you wouldn't be standing here talking to me now would you?"

"No … I don't suppose so …"

X frowned and second guessed his own declaration, _But it's weird that Slade doesn't know about them … they have no skill in the art of stealth … it would have been easy for Slade to pick them up …_ he grumbled and shook his head, storing that information for later he sighed and shrugged, his left shoulder protested the move, "Well then, pack it in; we're headed for Tomika Point."

Jamie and Otto winked and at the same time chimed, _"'You got it!'"_

X looked them over and chuckled, "You know, with how different you guys are, it's easy to forget you two are twins."

Otto cringed, "I resent that comment."

Jamie scoffed and grabbed her brother's arm, "Come on ya looser, I think that's a sign from our boss telling us to leave so he can have Rae all to himself. Selfish tight-wad."

The thief rolled his eyes and headed for the door while the twins headed for the window, "Just don't forget to close up once you're gone."

"Yeah, yeah lover-boy," Jamie giggled and before she jumped out the window with Otto she snatched another cream-puff from his food-tray and winked at X, "see ya at Tomika Point."

X walked out of his room and rubbed his left shoulder, ignoring the slight pain as he walked over to the parlor where he knew Raven would be with Marisa most likely, however as he rounded the corner into the parlor. He stopped dead in his tracks when Raven spun on him and stared at him like a fish out of water while the supposed visitor he noticed wasn't Marisa at all. No … it was Richard Grayson … Wayne's adoptive kid! The thief narrowed his eyes and raised a brow, _What the fuck is this brat doing here?_

Richard straightened up and nodded his head in greeting, "Robin."

Raven turned her attention on Richard, then returned it back to Robin who raised a brow his narrowed onyx-eyes glaring suspiciously at the blue-eyed visitor in his parlor he inclined his head and curtly said his name in the same manner, "Richard … what are you doing here?"

"Business," Richard shrugged casually and glanced at Raven, "I came here to talk to your father about a few matters concerning his association with Wayne Enterprises and it's take over of the Xander Corporation."

Robin raised a perplexed brow, "Take over, I was never aware of this."

"Not surprised," Robin didn't like the way Richard sounded so smug when he said it with a shrug, "after all, my sources tell me that you just up and disappeared after your father had forgivingly paid your bail …"

"Really?" Robin scoffed and stuffed his hands in his pocket and matched Richard's indifferent expression with a sarcastic sadistic sneer of his own, "Well, I think your _'sources' _should stay the hell out of my life, kay?"

"…"

"…"

Tension.

Raven held her breath; _They both have no idea who they're talking to! Dammit! I had a feeling Speedy and Aqualad followed us … I guess Aqualad is a better mind tracer than I thought … _

Richard cleared his throat, "Well … anyway … besides that, come early this summer Xander will now belong to Wayne once Leon finalizes the paperwork."

"… Who are you trying to play, Richy," Robin crossed his arms over his chest and turned his sneer into a smirk, "you know that take over is bullshit, Leon wouldn't sell his **family **corporation without a fight … pride, it'll do that to a man. Besides, he's been in Japan for the passed few days, there's no way he'd have the time to meet personally with Bruce to finalize anything, so why the sudden visit, I know damn well you're not here to see Leon."

Richard took a deep breath as if to settled his nerves then reached up to unbutton the top two buttons of his white collared shirt and undo his cuffs, he sighed and narrowed his sapphire blue-eyes on Robin, "Fine, what are you doing with a Titan in your house Robin? How much did Red X pay you to keep her here?"

Raven gulped, and Robin scowled, "Pay – what the fuck! Didn't you hear the stories, Richy? X is dead, and who are you to care? I don't recall you ever becoming a cop."

"No, but I'm close friends with the Titans, and I'll have them come down here myself if that's what it's going to take for you to tell me where Red X is!"

"He's dead."

"You're lying."

"Prove it."

"Raven's still alive and standing before us! You expect me to believe she survived while that thief didn't! He kidnapped her and practically sold her to Slade! Do you even know who he is? That bastard is the lowest of the low and right now, Robin, you're coming so close to his level that it's making me sick."

"You have no merit for finding a Titan," Robin sneered, "so what's your edge?"

In a flash Richard was on him, grabbing a hand full of his collar and shaking him he growled as Robin challenged him, both stubbornly meeting each other's heated glares, "I don't need a damn merit to do what's right."

"Well I do –" Robin with a harsh shove, pushed Richard off and smirked as he stumbled to catch his footing, "and to be quite frank, I don't think little miss Raven over here even wants to go … right?"

Raven's heart stopped as she stared into Robin's eyes in great disbelief, _Wha – he's not setting me up to choose … he's … I can't … _she thought with frightening realization and nervously glanced at Richard who faltered and gave Raven a perplexed look, "Raven …?"

She shook her head and backed up, "Richard … I ... it's … it's complicated …"

Richard reeled his head back and tilted his head, "What's so complicated about going back to your friends?"

She closed her mouth … bowed her head … and her shoulders dropped, closing her eyes she gritted her teeth and clenched her fists … why … why was it so complicated? What held her back **this **time? First … it was the fear that she might hurt her friends … and that fear was still there, but very minimal now that she knew what was going on and if she went back she could use the potions in her room to end her suffering. Yet, the second chance she had at leaving … she couldn't go just yet … because … she thought she might have a shot at taking down the Red X if she was cured.

However, adding to the second chance, she was also quite curious about the thief's past to begin with and now that she knew enough about him … why was it so complicated to leave? It shouldn't be … there was no more reason to stay … none whatsoever … except … she cast a discreet glance at the thief who held an impressive passive expression much the same as her leader. Although, Richard was staring at her with more confusion than anything else … Raven gulped and closed her eyes again.

_Leave …_

She thought to herself.

_Stay … _

A small voice in the back of her head pleaded.

_I have no more reasons to stay …_

_You've been making up excuses … just admit, you don't want to go back._

… _No … I do … it's not the fact that I don't want to go back … it's something … different …_

… _Not different … you just don't want to leave his side … because you know what will happen …_

…

_You cried when you felt him near death._

…

_You held his hand and pleaded with him to stay alive._

…

_You … even after everything that he's done, everything he's said … you put up with it._

…

_So it's not a question of why it's so complicated … it's a question of are you willing to let him go after everything the both of you been through? Are you willing to leave him to deal with Slade all by himself?_

… _Jamie and Otto …_

_Are not skilled enough or strong enough to stand by him …_

… _I have no reason to stay._

_Yes you do …_

_It's not good enough._

_Since when do you need a reason to care for someone?_

…

"Raven …"

Her violet eyes opened and she looked up at Robin who had called out her name, his onyx eyes staring at her … and she honestly had no clue what he wanted for her to do. His mask – his inner mask – was back on and impenetrable, but the tone in his voice. Did it hold a secret? Did he want her to stay? Inwardly, secretly, yes, he wanted her to stay. She gulped and walked up to him, hoping against hope that what she was doing was the right thing as she stood before him and softly whispered, so only he heard, "… Thank you … for all you've done … but I … can't stay …"

"…"

"…"

"… I know …"

That's not what she wanted to hear.

Her heart fell to the floor and shattered.

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: No ownie Teenie Titans, not even the quote is mine**

**A/N: Woo, woo! And so the cookie crumbles, the only way to know what happens next is to sit tight …will Robin actually change his mind, or will Richard find out who Robin is? So many, many questions drop me reviews and we'll all find out together.**

**l8er daez**


	12. The Shade of Endings

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Endings+**

"_I don't know what you're lookin' for_

_You haven't baby that's for sure …"_

"_My Favorite Game"_

_The Cardigans_

"… Thank you … for all you've done … but I … can't stay …"

"…"

"…"

"… I know …"

Despite his perfect face of acceptance, X felt something he's never felt for quite some time … he felt helpless and out of control … and he hated feeling that. Yet, hiding his hatred he gulped it down and swallowed the spiteful words that came close to vomiting out of his mouth as Raven, her deep natural-exotic violet eyes turned from him to look at Richard. Richard … the bastard that had to ruin _**everything! **_X found himself having trouble controlling his word vomit when he heard Raven's voice softly plead with the richest brat in the business-world.

The way she said his name … so softly, so familiarly, so … so, X gritted his teeth, he was starting to see red as the seconds ticked on by with Raven protecting him, "Richard … Robin has nothing to do with this … he had no choice but to keep me, X … X forced him to, he said if I or Robin said anything about my position he'd kill Robin's entire family. Please don't hold Robin liable for this … we had no choice."

It was an unbridled lie!

One that X had to look away and bow his head as if to play along as his face expressed the agony he felt for having to participate in the game. He was sick of it … he was sick of playing games … he wanted … he wanted … X gulped, for the first time in a long time he really didn't know what he wanted anymore. But he knew for sure that he wanted Raven to stay with him more than anything in the world right now. Not because she could be the perfect ally, and not because he had to act out for Slade, he just … he just wanted her beside him.

And the scary part was … he found that he'd actually give _**anything **_for that to happen.

He even calculated the possibility of throwing in his Red X suit just to have her with him.

If there was ever a time he felt so desperate to have something, it be now.

However …

He opened his onyx-eyes to stare at the carpet as reality sank in.

It was good that she was leaving, Slade, he was after him, and if she stuck around she'd probably only be killed in the process of eliminating him. No, she didn't deserve to suffer anymore because of his recklessness – and X knew, he was reckless to a dangerous fault - he calculated that more than likely Raven's death was assured. It was good that Richard found her and was bringing her back to her friends. Perfect timing actually … plus … she was a sorceress with unlimited supply of potions and spells and charms at her disposal.

She didn't need him anymore.

She had no reason to stay.

And that was why …

That was why he said: _'… I know …'_

Because even if it took him awhile to consciously admit the truth … the truth was the truth … Raven would have left him anyway.

She was still a Titan.

But why did it hurt so much to accept it?

"Whatever," he heard Richard reply as he walked up to Raven and gestured for her to follow him as he _'accidentally' _shrugged his shoulders against Robin's. Robin gritted his teeth and fisted his hands, _Fucking bastard … _he thought and for the split second he looked up to glare at Richard. Raven shuttered when she felt his unbridled rage, looking back at him, she caught his onyx-eyes and held her breath when she saw how hard it was for him to hold back loosing.

Loosing?

What was he loosing?

And who was he loosing to?

Raven.

To Richard … no … to her team, to her life.

And he hated himself even more for being so selfish to want her to stay.

"Robin …" Raven whispered and accidentally, Richard perked up at the name, only to find that she was staring at the Xander kid, she sighed and shrugged, still playing the game, "… I'm sorry for getting you involved like this … take care of yourself?"

Richard narrowed his eyes and waited for Robin's response because never – **never **– had Raven, the Ice Queen of the Teen Titans had **ever **sounded so concerned. Of course, he snorted when Robin gave the expected response, a scoff and a smug smirk … however it seemed forced instead of natural this time. Then, his words, they were venomous, stale, and stiff, "Catch up with your boyfriend, sunshine, it's best not to keep Richy waiting … but it's been fun."

With a nonchalant two finger salute he trudged down the hall back to his room, leaving Raven to stand and stare after him. Never moving, until she felt a hand on her shoulder, she looked up at Richard's sapphire blue eyes and understood what he wanted. She followed him out of the mansion into the courtyard where a Mercedes Benz was waiting for them; Richard opened the passenger side for her to enter. She did and waited for him to come around to the driver's side and when he did, the environment suddenly turned unbearably cold.

Richard's rich-boy exterior dropped instantly and he gritted his teeth, clenching the steering wheel of the car while they still sat in the Xander courtyard. His blue eyes turned to give her a confused glare as he finally said what he had wanted to say, "… You're covering for him … for X … why?"

"…" Raven took a deep breath and looked away, "… I was covering for Robin … not X …"

"But Robin is _**protecting **_Red X, which is just as bad!" Richard caught himself raising his voice and immediately controlled his composure, "Raven … I … don't get it, you act as if you're obligated to help him."

Raven sighed and finally found the courage to look her leader in the face and cover up the truth right before his eyes, "I am … he helped me … Richard, I … I killed two people because of what Slade did to me … Robin helped me control what's left of my sanity and even helped be gain it back. I can't just let that go unrewarded … he really doesn't deserve what you threatened him with."

"But X –!"

"Can't hide forever …"

Richard brought a hand up to massage his temple, brow's furrowing together as he huffed and hated to say it … just hated to say it … but he had to know, "Raven … do you … do you _**like **_Xander?"

"…" Raven blinked and tilted her head, feeling her heart rate sudden jump and her palms start to sweat, she kept them from fidgeting and centered her eyes on her leader. She had to make this convincing, "I don't see how that's relevant to our situation."

His sapphire eyes suddenly flared up as he glared at her, "It's damn well relevant and you know that, so answer the question Raven, do you or do you not like Robin Eli Xan –"

"**No."** Raven growled and matched his glare with her own, only far deadlier, just daring him to continue on the dangerous path he laid out, "Is that _convincing _enough for you? Or do I need to spell it out?"

"…"

It was his turn to sit speechless, and in the time that passed he reached for the ignition and turned the car on. Putting it in gear, he was about to pull out of the courtyard when he happenstance a glance back up at the mansion, only to see Lola Xander peeking out one of the high windows. Her sadden expression perfectly reflected off the glass momentarily before she closed the curtain and left Richard to drive he and Raven back to Titan Tower.

His search was finally over.

He found his friend.

Although … it wasn't exactly the reaction he was expecting.

Richard has known Raven for quite some time and it was only fair for him to notice that there was something off about her.

And he knew what it was.

She was sad … for some apparent reason.

**((--))**

"Robin?" without knocking, Lola entered her son's quarters to find him packing up a few of his belongs into his suitcase … but not only that … upon closer inspection of his room she found a 100,000 dollar vase shattered on the floor next to the door. With fragments of the antique embedded into wall and the window across the room broken, cracked as well with little droplets of blood on in. Lola frowned and stayed close to the exit to steer clear of her son's temper, because despite his nonchalant appearance when provoked he can be oh-so scary, "Robin … is there something going on that I should know about?"

"…" he didn't answer her, just ignored her and continued to throw random things into the suitcase.

Lola sighed, "Robin, please, talk to me … why was Grayson here and why did Rae go with him? What's going on?"

"I'm leaving." He finally responded curtly.

His mother huffed, "Well I can plainly see that, but you haven't told me what's –"

"You don't need to know!" he snapped with a vicious scowl, closing his suitcase he zipped it up and proceeded to haul it out of his room, forcing Lola to stand back and watch as he briskly walked his way to the exit.

She caught up to him and put a hand on his shoulder to stop him, "Robin! You're being rash! Stop for a moment and think! Where will you go!"

Without remorse he smacked her hand off his shoulder and continued on his way, "You never cared before, so don't even pretend to start now."

But Robin should have known better, where he got his stubbornness from as he felt his mother wrap her fingers tightly around his arm and yank him back. Forcing him to look down at her pricing blue eyes, he gulped and immediately flew up a mask to hide the frustration and anger he felt inside. Knowing his mother – besides Raven – would be the only one to see so clearly through his glass eyes, Lola glared at him and put her foot down to finally be the mother she hardly ever was, "You're running away again … when are you going to learn that you can't solve anything by pretending it doesn't exist."

He bowed his head, his hair falling to shade over his eyes as he shrugged her hand off him and straightened out his shirt, only to turn away and say in a low voice. So low, in fact, that Lola almost didn't catch what he said, but she did, and her chest tightened at the pain of hearing how sad her son was, "… There's nothing … there's nothing to run away from … the problems been dealt with."

Suddenly, it dawned on her and Lola sighed and shook her head, she didn't say anything. Now knowing that nothing she could say would pick her son back up off the floor he was left broken on. All she felt like she could do was follow him towards the exit, where a servant had appeared and opened the door for them. Offering to take Robin's bags, he never got the chance to decline because an 'S' shaped blade was embedded in his back and he dropped to his knees, dead.

Lola gasped and held a hand to her mouth to stifle a scream while Robin looked down the steps to see a black van and two Slade-bots standing in wait, for him. The moment they spotted the thief, they dashed up towards him and grabbed him and dragged him towards the van. X gritted his teeth and struggled for freedom, "Get the fuck off me!"

Reaching for the knife in his sock he pulled it out and jammed it into one of the robot's sides, and twisted it, the robot dropped him, freeing up his right side, he jumped and kicked the side of the second robot's head and dropped to the ground in a crouch. With the knife in hand he watched as the van opened up and at least four more jumped out, he scowled, "It's gonna take more than that to –"

_**BAM!**_

_**BAM!**_

_**BAM!**_

_**BAM!**_

_**BAM!**_

All four, plus the driving Slade-bot dropped dead in the courtyard with bullets lodged into the heart of their system; X looked over his shoulder to see his mother standing with a loaded silver magnum in hand. True to her former-assassin training from the US Government, her aim was as sharp as ever. Her blue-eyes were no longer soft and kind, but fierce and vicious, just the way he remembered her back when he was a kid. X sighed and stood up after his mother had stuck the gun back in its holster, apparently hidden under the summer-dress wrapped around her right thigh. He stuck his knife back in his sock and rolled his pants sleeves down while Lola came down the stairs, glaring at him.

"I see you still like to play with words. Mind telling me what Slade's creatures are doing on my courtyard?"

X looked away and shrugged, but winced when his left shoulder protested the movement, however discreetly covered it up and went back up the steps to get his suitcase, replying dryly, "You shot them."

Lola sneered and crossed her arms over her chest, "That's not funny, what do they want with you?"

"They want me dead."

"…" Lola blinked and her mouth suddenly fell open in shock, "Robin … did you steal Slade's toy?"

As if she stepped on a mine, her son's dark temper exploded on her and his onyx eyes blazed over with unbridled fury, "Rae. Is not a _**TOY! **_Now lay off my back and stay off, you're the wife of a billionaire, start acting like one and stop caring!"

"If I stop, then who else is going to care! Robin, at the rate you're going you'll be buried six feet under in a matter of days! Don't think I don't know what you've gotten yourself into."

"No, I wouldn't put it passed you to not figure out what's been going on in my life." X scoffed and tried desperately not to loose his temper again, because this would no doubt be the second time he blew up in front of other people. Not only _**didn't**_ he like showing he had a temper to loose, but he hated feeling so frustrated. It just wasn't his style.

He was usually calm, cool, collected, and unreadable in a very nonchalant way … always hiding behind a smirk or a grin, masking silent calculations with an ominous chuckle. Being mad, blowing up, and showing he … and showing he cared … made him feel … **human. **He hated feeling human, feeling like he can be touched … just another reason why he felt so … easy to set off now-a-days, because _**she **_broke him down. Her impenetrable violet eyes, her uncaring, powerful aura that screamed radiance and independence. That … that _untouchable _vibe that came with her unreachable position in life … God! He knew she was off limit! He knew! But he still – he _**still **_– wanted her with him.

What happened to the indifferent thief?

What happened to being selfish?

He felt his mother's hand hover just inches close to his shoulder, hesitant to touch him, he moved away before she could and just like that, walked out of her life. Headed for the garage to get his car, out of sight from his mother, he was just about to reach for the button to open the garage door, but his entire being froze when he felt a blade press against his neck. He dropped his suitcase and held his hands up to show he wasn't holding anything as he felt a hand grip his left arm so tightly he was sure he'd bruise and he winced when that sinister voice loomed over his ear.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't have been able to handle that demon," Slade hissed in his head and his grip tightened, X gritted his teeth and held his breath when he felt the blade dig into his flesh for a shallow cut, "she's gone … where did she go, _**Robin.**_"

"Kiss my ass," X growled, but flinched when the blade dug deeper, he closed his eyes for a minute then reopened them and glared at the ground, "I don't know where she went, so you're wasting your time harassing me."

"Don't tempt me, boy; you've caused me more trouble than I needed. If you had just followed through with my plan you wouldn't be in this mess."

X scoffed, "So I'm hard of hearing, _and, _tell me something I don't know."

"You'll take her place."

_Okay … wasn't expecting that … _X blinked, and blinked once more, then as much as the blade would allow he daringly tried to look over his shoulder to the masked psycho-path that held him captive. Saying in a very sarcastic tone, "… Excuse me?"

He felt the mad-man smirk, "I don't make it a habit of repeating myself, child. You went against the deal, and that leaves me without an apprentice … you're just as good as the next Titan, if not better."

"Fuck you –"

Just for that comment X was pushed away, spun around and slammed against the garage door with Slade's hand pressed hard against his still healing left chest. X held his breath, trying not to give Slade the satisfaction of screaming, but as he pressed down harder a gasp and a chocked cough escaped his lips. Slade hissed in his ear, "First lesson, _apprentice, _watch your mouth and respect your master."

Ignoring the pain, X reached up and grabbed Slade's wrist and with more strength than the mad-man had calculated the thief had flipped him and slammed him to the ground. Knocking the blade from his hand and gripping this throat, holding his body down with his own hard-pressed weight. X made sure they were both at an angle where it was easy for him to break the masked-man's neck if he tried to move the wrong way. With a darkened look that could frighten the devil himself back into hell if he ever tried to take over the world at that precise moment.

X scowled and through gritted teeth declared, "I am not going to be your little bitch to fuck with, got it hot-shot? I'm not a damn Titan with a conscious … unlike them; I will not hesitate to put a bullet in the back of your head while you scream for mercy."

Slade laughed, "Ah-hah, ha, ha … I _wonder _what our little bird would think about you now if she heard you say those exact words. I'm quite certain you never told her of your _interesting _little past, have you? A pity to … I was actually thinking you two would make such a _cute _couple."

Red flashed before his eyes and before he knew what he was doing he cracked the demon-in-human-form's neck and watched as it didn't go limp like any normal body … no … he didn't expect it to. This was Slade he was dealing with … the robot fizzled and sparked, the mask fell open to reveal the snowy monitor, X was furious enough to grab the blade in his sock and stab it into the monitor. Just imagining it was that bastard's face as he got up and massaged his left shoulder.

The pain from being pressed down, just now started to get to him as he gulped and continued into the garage. Never minding his belongings as he absentmindedly pressed a palm to the side wall, a scanner took his prints and the far wall of the garage opened to allow him access to the X-bike. Walking up to it he mounted it and started it up, staying seated for a moment revving the engine, hearing it roar he wanted it to go even louder in order to drown out the venomous thoughts in his mind.

"… _**Thank you … for all you've done … but I … can't stay …"**_

"_**If I stop, then who else is going to care! Robin, at the rate you're going you'll be buried six feet under in a matter of days!"**_

"_**Robin … take care of yourself?"**_

"… _**I **__wonder__** what our little bird would think about you now if she heard you say those exact words. I'm quite certain you never told her of your **__interesting__** little past, have you?"**_

X kicked off the brake and tore out of the garage; wanting to runaway from the first mistake he's ever made landing himself in this hopeless position:

He overestimated himself.

Yet, as he was busty pitying himself, the idiot would not know until too late that something was off about the Slade drone that held him down.

The eye was on wrong side … Slade's left eye was the only one showing on his mask … the robot's was on the right …

**((--Titans East Tower--))**

Everyone was making such a fuss … and who wouldn't?

Raven was back and order was finally restored as friends reunited and gathered around the star of the day the rather distant sorceress answered all their questions short, and to the point. Being careful to avoid Speedy and Aqualad, feeling their intense gazes from across the room, being more prone to hover around Starfire, at least the alien – for the moment – wouldn't question her reason for never telling her she was alive in the first place. The question was there, hovering dangerously close to the surface around all her friends, but … somehow, they all knew not to ask until the right time.

Instead, they all just enjoyed her company and fussed over how happy they were that she was still alive and that Robin was back – which she found to be rather odd that her leader had abandoned their team to look for her. She almost felt guilty – almost, being the key word – she never put it passed Robin to do something so rash. Robin, is Robin after all … she could never change that part of him and frankly she didn't feel like she had to.

It was one of the many qualities that made him such an exceptional leader.

So, sitting on the couch by herself – after requesting a few moments alone – she stared at the indoor pool – which she knew led right back out into the sea – just watching the water swish and sway from Aqualad's emotions. She noticed that the water in the room always moved with Aqualad's emotions, and right now it was swishing in a very probing way. Like it was curious, she wasn't surprised.

Especially when moments later, Aqualad finally found the courage – and the gull – to walk up to the silent sorceress and sit beside her, but not too close, yet not too far. Just close and far enough away to give her the impression that this was going to be a serious conversation, but between friends, meaning she was able to tell him everything and not be judged for it. Raven wasn't going to take that chance even still as he sighed and looked at the water. Discreetly it jumped with his emotion of nervousness, but smoothed out and started with the same question everyone had been asking. Just to test to see if she'll be responsive or not, "So … how does it feel to be back where you belong? We missed you."

_Belong … that's such an alien word now … do I really belong here? _she asked herself, but was careful to build up barriers between her and Aqualad mentally and aurally. No way was she going to risk him knowing what she was thinking and Aqualad felt it, making him feel a little apprehensive with her defensive take on their friendly conversation. It only proved to him that she had something to hide. Even though her voice was cruet and too the point – as always where Raven was concerned, "Thanks, and it feels like it should."

A safe answer.

Aqualad established that this wasn't going to be easy, and since he's always such a nice guy, he felt guilty for doing this to her, but he had to know, "Back at the café … you knew we were there … we were following you … how come you didn't say anything?"

Raven's brow went up ever so discreetly as she turned away from the waters to look Aqualad dead in his shark-black eyes and answered, "Does it matter now? I'm back."

"That's not the point."

"Then what is?"

"The guy you were with, was he Xander?"

"Yes."

"…" Aqualad scooted a little closer, making sure that no one else heard his next question but him and her, making sure to pierce her violet-eyes with his own intense stare, Raven knew what he was doing and immediately countered. Growing so cold that the seawater would freeze at any second, "… Do you miss him?"

"No." she narrowed her eyes one him and controlled the urge to throw him into the water to cool off that heated glare in his eyes, how dare he question her loyalty! Maybe not so much as directly as Robin, but still, what right did he have to pry into her life? He wasn't even apart of her team, in fact, Raven went so far as to convince herself that they weren't even friends. Just mutual acquaintances, "Unless you have a better topic of conversation. Don't bother talking to me again."

And like that … she stood up from the couch and walked away to someplace quieter and less prone to attract daredevils like Aqualad who leaned over the couch and called back to her quietly. Still making sure to keep the others from hearing as he braved forbidden waters, "Does Robin know?"

Raven huffed in exasperation and spun around to glare at Aqualad, "Know what?"

"…" it took a moment for him to say it, but when he did, it was with such a conviction that it struck a very dangerous chord in Raven's heart, because Robin had _**asked **_the same question. However, Aqualad was _**stating **_it this time with so much reassurance behind his tone that it frightened her. There was no way she was _**that **_easy to read. "That you like him … Xander, I mean, you like him enough to protect him … am I wrong."

Raven gritted her teeth and with a dangerous look in her eyes growled, "You have no idea what you're talking about."

With that Aqualad let out a surprised yelp when he was picked up and thrown into the water, the rest of their friends saw and blinked in utter confusion as Raven stormed off into the halls to navigate her way towards the roof. Aqualad resurfaced and climbed out of the pool, Speedy was there to help him and the archer smirked in amusement from Aqualad's glare of annoyance, "So what did ya figure?"

The Atlantean sighed and smoothed back his hair, "You were right … she likes him."

Speedy hissed and shook his head, "Ooo … Robin's not going to be too happy when he finds that out."

"When I find out what?"

Both the archer and the Atlantean froze in shock as the Titan Leader stood with his arms crossed glaring at the two young men tapping his foot like a _'patient-parent'._ Speedy and Aqualad glanced at one another mentally arguing who was to be the first one to make the death-leap into the pit of Robin's wrath. Aqualad suggested it was Speedy since he already suffered Raven's abuse, but Speedy urged it be Aqualad considering he was the cool-headed rational guy of the group. However, Speedy was Robin's best friend next to Cyborg.

So the battle raged on.

While Robin stood there glaring at the two Titans, wanting to know what they knew that he obviously didn't … or … maybe subconsciously did but wasn't willing to admit it.

"… _I'm loosin' my baby …_

_I'm loosin' my favorite game …"_

_- "My Favorite Game"_

_- The Cardigans_

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: Do I look like I own the Teen Titans? For those of you that know me, you know what the outcome would have really been with this story thing.**

**A/N: Short chapter, blah, don't really like it, don't know why, when I never really rushed it … but how ya like that? Slade's wearing a different mask? Or somethin's up … **_**(shrugs) **_**… for you to decide and for me to type up the outcome … the only real question is how long will I take this time?**

**Depends on if you review or not, you know I'm good for it.**

**I love you all.**

**L8er daez.**


	13. The Shade of Rain

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Rain**+

"_The blood that boils in your veins,_

_Is not your own from before,_

_Now your soul is forever stained,_

_And you become more forgotten in your core."_

"_The Dark Flame of Revenge"_

_By: Ariel Dezellem_

She was fiddling with it again …

Raven sighed and forced her hands to either side of her as she stood upon the roof of Titans East Tower looking out to the setting horizon where the ocean meet the blushing sky. A beautiful scene, even with the approaching storm just off in the distance, Raven could smell it, but beauty wasn't a word that Raven can use to describe life right now … it was just as X had said it was, it was a complete and total bitch. Here she was with her friends, the ones she's been trying to leave X for time and again even complaining about not seeing them. Only to have her way in the end then to suddenly get this irritating itch in the back of her skull, where she couldn't reach, Aqualad's bold statement only made the itching worse.

She was fiddling with it again!

The cursed sapphire she _**still **_hadn't taken off her wrist, the silver bracelet and large pure sapphire twinkled mockingly under the dimming daylight that bled into night. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists, feeling her claws pierce into her flesh, dripping blood into the wind that splattered it on the ground. Smelling her blood reminded her of when she almost lost herself at the Van'Gareth mansion … reminded her of him, his distinct scent and utter stupidity to still stay by her side after she hurt him. Dug her claws into his shoulders and … Raven gulped when she remembered the smell of his blood.

Hissing through her clenched teeth, she released her tension and relaxed, even allowing her hands to unclench and lifted up the wrist with the sapphire on it. Unclipping it, she held it in her bloody hands and stared at it with a dry expression … thinking to herself: how silly of her. How utterly pathetic of her to even encourage the memory of a **thief … **of a man that she knew no matter what happened to her in the long-run.

There was no use.

Pointless …

Everything was pointless … her violet eyes glazed over and for a moment she thought she had fell into the water when her vision blurred and her breath hitched, her mouth fell open to gasp for air when her throat burned and tightened. Closing her eyes, she gasped softly in shock when she felt tears stream down her face … she wasn't drowning … she was crying … but the feeling was all the same. Still holding the sapphire she reached up and wiped her tears away. Smearing her face with salty liquid and blood, her violet hair whipped about her and created a silver glowing crown around her broken picture.

Raven cried out in frustration and flung the sapphire bracelet to the side … not having the heart to throw it into the ocean where it justly belonged to rid herself of _**him **_forever. Yet … she didn't have the strength to hold it anymore … it reminded her of how much of a weakling she was, of how much like … like _Terra _she had become. She was a trader to her friends … but she betrayed them in the worse way possible. Where Terra had made it easy to hate her, because she attacked, provoked them, gave them a **good **reason to hate her.

She, Raven, had done the unthinkable …

She was fraternizing with the enemy, and she was protecting him.

Worse still!

She was lying through her teeth, to her friends face.

Oh how much she'd long to have the strength to throw herself over the edge of the roof and plunge into Davy Jones Locker just so she wouldn't have to deal with the pain in her heart, in her head, in her pride. Never, _**never **_had she _**ever **_felt so pathetic or broken down over a guy. It wasn't her, guys don't get to her, boys weren't her cup of tea, she just wasn't interested in _**anyone!**_ Yet … here she was bawling her eyes out because … because she was more confused than Beast Boy would ever be when looking over a schematic to rebuild the T-car!

She was always so composed.

So together.

So indifferent.

Passive.

Cold.

She was the Ice Queen of the Teen Titans.

She was Raven Roth, the Untouchable.

She was anything but a blubbering girl leaning on the guardrail letting her tears fall into the ocean adding to the 70 percent of water that the Earth was made of. Faintly wondering in her forever chaotic mind if, Life, the Bitch, had filled the Earth with water with her tears, crying because it was her duty to make everyone's view of life miserable. It made sense to Raven for a split second, but then it just seemed like something stupid to think about and immediately she excluded it from her thoughts.

One thing was for certain though … Raven didn't know if she could ever face her friends and be the same Titan ever again.

"Raven?"

The Sorceress gasped in shock and jumped back when the voice of none other than her masked-leader snuck up behind her. Staring at him through a messy, slightly bloody face, her mouth wide open as he stood there, before her, holding her discarded bracelet, Raven gulped; there was no lying about this mess. Quickly wiping herself clean she composed herself the best she could and smoothed back her violet hair. Whispering his name, letting the wind carry it into oblivion because it was so soft, "Robin …"

_**He **_fiddled with it in between his fore-finger and thumb, a deep frown on his enigmatic face with the setting sun reflecting just right off his skin and uniform. Giving Raven the feeling that he was more so untouchable than she'll ever be from now on, the old Raven was gone and this new skin she was in … felt so foreign. Her violet eyes trailed to the ground, then out to the horizon as she winced at the coldness in her leader's tone as he advanced her, "I'm guessing Xander got you this?"

"…"

She didn't say anything.

She didn't have to.

Robin already knew the answer, he didn't have to ask.

He sighed, "You know … they told me … Aqualad and Speedy, they told me everything."

_Not surprised … _Raven couldn't help to think to herself as she gulped and sucked in a deep breath to steady her breathing, gathering even more of herself she bit down on her lower lip and blinked, "… So … what do you want from me …?"

"The truth."

Oh how simple an answer that was, and how hard a response she could give.

What truth did he want?

Everything or just the sugar-coated topping?

Raven sighed again, and figured that telling him the whole truth would just land her in more trouble, besides, it's not like he needed to know. She owed Red X … didn't she? No, but since she discovered forbidden secrets in her psyche, she couldn't just bust out and sing like a canary in a steel cage to the red-Robin now could she? Which was the entire reason for her break down anyway, she knew it was wrong to keep secrets and lie to oneself … but goddamn it all if she wasn't allowed a little sin here and there. It wasn't like Red X was done with his thieving days, he'd be back and there'd be another chance to capture him.

_Hopefully,_ Raven thought, _by then I would have forgotten all about him. _She didn't know how much she gambled on that one statement, but she knew she staked her entire life on it, on time to help her forget, because that's all time does. Bleed past, present, and future together until there is no room to remember everything and she ends up forgetting. With time, she'll forget.

She had to.

So why could she feel another wave of tears coming on at her after making a solid decision?

Raven looked away from Robin feeling him standing beside her, glad, for once, that she had long hair to help cover her disheveled expression. She knew she looked like a mess, didn't mean her voice had to match it as she spoke in her trademark icy-tone, "Fine … I guess I got a little too attached to Xander while I was staying with him … but that's it."

She felt Robin's aura scoff even in his silent, she could hear the strain in his voice, even if he was composed. Obviously he was fighting with his temper, trying ever-so hard not to blow up in her face like he did in that car. For once, he was using his head and trying to handle the situation as calmly as he could be, "So … because you like this guy … you won't tell me everything, you'll even let a criminal get away just because you fell victim to some greedy rich-brat's scheme to get you on his side. I guess all it took was a little something shiny and he bought your silence."

He was attacking her.

Raven inwardly felt she deserved it, but her pride would not allow it, without caring if another tear slipped she looked up into Robin's white hot mask and glared at him viciously, "Say what you want, but at least he has sense, unlike _**some **_people, who obviously can't take the damn hint that we're on the _**same side."**_

"Raven," Robin stepped closer to her and leveling her gaze with his own, his tone and posture indicating that he was keeping this strictly business … or at least trying to. Raven felt at the back of his throat another throw-back personal assault. She just dared him to let it slip, he was close enough, she could hit him and he wouldn't even see it coming, "as far as the Titans are concerned, I don't want to start thinking that I can't trust you with vital information and I don't even want to believe what you're telling me. I really don't … don't force me to do something we'll both regret."

Was he serious?

Well, this was Robin she was talking to … of course he was, joking besides … was he really threatening to kick her off the team because she _liked _someone? No, he was threatening to kick her off because she was withholding information and hindering an investigation. That's what he was doing, that's what she wanted to believe … but something in her gut told her different, something told her he was attacking her personally again and she couldn't help but to draw back from him in disbelief. She took a step away, and he straightened himself up and fiddled with the sapphire in his hands as if waiting for a response from her.

He dared to glance at her as if she was just another person on the street that had accidentally brushed him, Raven gritted her teeth and balled her hands into fists, "Regret …? _Regret! _I won't and **don't **regret anything … kick me off the team because I'm a potential threat to the wellbeing of the Teen Titans, but don't you _**dare **_disband me because I hurt your _**feelings**_ you self-bastard."

Raven scowled and stormed away from him, unable to even be in his presences, it made her sick to even evoke the very idea that Robin would be so degradable in order to do something so distasteful. She left him on the roof, left him to fiddle with the sapphire glaring at it. Glaring at it so intensely that the sun went down even faster to avoid his heated gaze, the sapphire, he felt – even though it was his imagination – sizzle in his hand and he almost wished it would. With a growl and without caring he flung the bracelet over the edge of the roof and watched as it sailed though the sky. Split the thick air, and landed with an anti-climatic _splash _into the ocean.

Never to be seen from again.

**((--Later that night--))**

**((--Unknown Location--))**

The lightning crashed.

The thunder boomed.

A real storm had hit without warning, and the silent drop-down house perched upon a steep cliff flashed when the lightning struck and then faded back to darkness. The sounds of pounding raining against the large plain window which lead to a balcony was the only sound that echoed through out the supposedly empty household. Silence literally reigned, but not for long, because after the thunder rattled the skies, something else rattled at the doors.

Loud knocking, urgent … but with a sort of defeated and tired beat.

_**KNOCK … KNOCK … KNOCK!**_

No reply.

The house remained silent and still.

More thunder, then more knocking …

_**KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!**_

Followed by a drenched and drowning voice trying to hide from the rain, _"Milo … I know you're there, open up!"_

_**KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!**_

"_MILO!"_

Movement, down a long stretched hall came out of a room and walked towards the sounds with a groggy pace and a scary growl, which implied that the _'human' _named _'Milo' _was actually something more. Milo Arch's fangs gleamed in the darkness, his silky black hair which reached to his waist swayed with the rest of his trudging body as he made his way to the door. Narrowed blood-red eyes that glowed at the right angle of the light glared into the darkness as he ran his clawed hands through his flawless hair.

He was, in the lamest terms, a handsome young _'man' _with very dangerous features, his growling turned into a slight snarl as he reached the door, gripped the handle, unlocked it and opened up ready to literally chew out the human. Until, his sights rested on none-other-than Robin Xander. Soaked to the bone in rain-water, shivering ever so slightly, his cold onyx-eyes glaring at the baffled Milo who did nothing as the human let himself in, "About damn time …"

Milo closed the door and stared after Robin with a raised brow, not quite sure if he was dreaming or not, he announced his name with a blink, "Robin?"

An obvious, yet not so heavy English accent dripped off his speech, X, without a care in the world took off his shirt and proceeded to the kitchen to wring out his clothes and to get something to eat. Having traveled non-stop to get here, he, despite his eerie mood, was still human and he was hungry. He just hoped his inhuman friend kept something edible in the large kitchen, "Yeah … I need a place to crash, if that's all right with you."

Milo narrowed his blood-red eyes and followed after the thief, "Incase you've forgotten, this _**is **_your house, you're just lending it to me, remember?"

"Oh … right …" X sighed, and closed his eyes, he just couldn't think straight right now, and he knew that Milo could sense it. He was, after all, not human, he should be able to feel if something was out of the ordinary. Besides the late night visit and what not, X shrugged, "I guess I just forgot … I hardly come up here … oh … and by the way, the names not Robin, it's Trix Tanner."

"'_Trix Tanner'_?" Milo repeated slowly, testing the name and frowning, "So I see you're on a bloody assignment. Gods, _Trix, _why do you have to bring your affairs into my environment, not that I'm not grateful for everything you've ever done for me, but to be quite frank your job isn't exactly delivering papers to every suburban street on this block."

"Which is why I'm going to pay you enough money to shut-up and pack up if you don't want to stick around for my _'assignment'_," _'Trix' _growled and slammed the icebox door shut. Go figure Milo didn't have anything in the fridge, or the cabinets to eat, X figured that he'd have to wait till tomorrow to grab a bite to eat. The rain was pouring, and another flash of lightning lit up the darkness, he shivered when suddenly he was reminded he was still soaked and standing without his shirt freezing. Without even bothering to smooth back his messy, matted, tangled hair he walked by Milo without another word to go warm up.

Moving purely on instinct alone seeing as his brain just couldn't function properly ever since that dreaded afternoon when Richard decided that then was a good a time as any to take Raven away from him. It troubled him to no end how great of an encumber he felt when she left … it was like the entire world suddenly thought it would be fun to climb on top of him and put him face down in the dirt. Suffocating from all the weight, X subconsciously felt himself take a deep breath as he suddenly found himself exiting the warm shower and bathroom after getting dressed.

He didn't even know or realized that he had taken a hot shower … what gave it away was when he was done he was standing in front of the bathroom mirror. Staring at his voided expression … clean from the water, but to him it was still filthy. He could feel it, the weight of many, many faces and masks he had to wear in order to stay alive, or to feed his own selfish desires … it was ridden with smudges of dirty little secrets. And he had to faintly wonder … what mask did he wear when he was with her? What face of him did she fall for?

Surely it couldn't have been the real him.

There was no such thing.

Besides, there was no way she could really **know **him.

How would – no, wrong question – _**why **_would she bother herself with such trivial knowledge that was just plain useless to her. Of course she could always use it against him, X wouldn't put it passed her he actually expected it of her. She was, after all, a very practical girl, in control of herself, never letting her feelings outweigh her logical train of thought. He was the same way … most of the time … but when it came down to deciding things that touched at his rectitude, he'd let instinct guide him.

His instincts never lied to him.

He always listened to them … excluding the moment he watched Raven walk out the door.

For some reason, he decided not to listen to instinct and let her go.

Was he right in doing so?

Was he wrong?

He didn't know, and frankly he wanted to careless about it.

He wanted his old self back, where he could careless about whether or not she fell into a ditch and died. He wanted that part of himself back; it made his life so much easier if he just didn't care. Because when he cared … he cared _**a lot**_ it didn't matter if it was morally wrong, or shunned by society, he cared … and he didn't want to. It made him feel weak and vulnerable.

Both components X didn't feel comfortable with and he wanted it out of his system.

He wanted his life back.

_Knock … knock … knock …_

"_Trix …?"_

For split second his heart stopped, his mind raced, and that hopeful feeling boiled up in his chest when the feminine voice softly called out to him from beyond the door of the bathroom. However, reality was a cruel thing, and without warning it slapped him hard across the face, when he realized just **what **name he was being called by, and **who **the voice belonged to. It was female alright … but it was only Jamie's … he had called Jamie and Otto earlier to meet him here instead of Tomika Point.

X gritted his teeth and glared at his reflection, _You're a fuckin' idiot you know that? Like she'd really come after you … face it … you're out of your league and out of your goddamned mind! _Growling to himself he smoothed back his damp hair and immediately started to build a barrier to keep his world locked up tighter than any vault he had cracked. However, still in the process of being built, he grabbed the bathroom handle and turned it and yanked it open with a harsh jerk that the motion startled Jamie. The young blonde backed up and stared up at him as if he was a different person … and he might as well have been, his name wasn't Robin or X at the moment.

It was Trix Tanner.

She stuttered nervously, "He-hey, Trix … um … you okay?"

"Why do you ask?"

Cold …

So cold …

She shivered at the icy-daggers hidden behind every word that came from his mouth, "Well … just trying to be a good friend …"

Friend?

Was she serious?

Since when were they ever friends? X always saw her and Otto as mere tools, people he could gain a few things here and there from. Were they ever friends? Yes, he just didn't want anyone near him at the moment. Feeling vulnerable could do that to people … so he pushed her away … just like he always did to people he didn't feel safe knowing they were getting too close. He pushed them away and hoped to god they were smart enough to figure that he wasn't doing it to hurt their feelings, he just didn't want people so close to him.

He made that mistake with his mother and Marisa … he didn't want to make it again.

Maybe that was the reason he let Raven go?

He mentally shrugged and left the thought floating in the air … it was better than admitting that he wasn't good enough for her that was for sure. Stuffing his hand into his pocket he shrugged outwardly and walked passed Jamie into the hall towards an extra room within the large villa of an estate that was his and his alone, "I'm fine …"

_No you're not … _Jamie frowned sadly and sighed with sagged shoulders as she turned to return to the living room where she left Otto and Milo alone. Only to jump up in fright when the later appeared out of nowhere and stood in her away. His intimidating aura filling her heart with so much fear that she nearly fainted when he bared his fangs and scoffed as he flipped back his silky locks. It didn't help that he put Adonis to shame! Inwardly she pouted, wondering why a guy had to be more beautiful than her in the hair department; she wanted to know his secret.

With a hand to her heart she glared at the handsome young devil, "Jesus! Can't you just walk up to anybody like a normal human being instead of stalking them? You nearly gave me a heart attack."

He raised a haughty brow as he scoffed, "Please don't impugn my nature as I condescend to your level of unimportance in order to elucidate on the matter that is Robin."

Jamie blinked, then narrowed his eyes and sneered, "Well excuse me for being human, smart-ass and what the hell did you just say to me?"

Milo rolled his eyes in a very conceited way and expressed his distaste for sharing his quarters with _**humans, **_he snorted, "Of course I can't expect you to fathom the concept of simple English without me having to employ vulgar literature."

"You know, in case you haven't noticed, I'm not a damn mid reader, so just straight out tell me what it is you want." Jamie felt her patience slipping; it always did when it came to Milo, X had only known him for a year or so and her and Otto for only 6 months at the max.

He was a shady character, with a shady background, and an even shadier species, he never told them what exactly he was. Otto always just assumed he was a vampire that could withstand daylight, Jamie thought there was more than meet the eye with the conniving creature, and X? Well … to say the least, he just didn't give a damn, Milo was just another merit. Milo sighed and gave the blond a dry look, "What's wrong with Xander? He's not acting like he should be, and by the looks of it, he's probably dragged the two of you into his affairs. What's he scheming?"

Even if he wasn't using _'big words'_ he still sounded so snobbish, Jamie hated that about him, it made her feel like she had to always look her best when she was with him least he criticize her for her attire. He just sort of let out a wave of royalty and authority that Jamie had to faintly wonder if he was the leader of anything, like, if what Otto said was true and he was a vampire, was he like the head of a clan or something? An aristocrat? An undercover prince? Jamie dismissed the thought as pure speculation and ignored it as she shrugged and tried to answer his question, "Well … if he's scheming something I don't know what it is … but I think he's just duckin'."

Milo raised a brow at the foreign use of slang, Jamie saw the look and now she felt it was her turn to act all superior, "I mean to say, your _**majesty, **_is that he's hiding out because he's cover's blown … he was working for Slade."

"Well then," Milo turned his back on her and with an akimbo, sauntered down the hall with a flick of his wrist, "explains the ungodly hour … but … past-tense … why did he stop?"

Jamie just shrugged again and followed him, "I don't know … I guess he liked her and didn't want to see her get hurt or anything like that."

"Oh … doth thy ear deceive me? He has a heart?" he chuckled sinisterly.

She sneered, _Same couldn't be said about you, _she held her breath and kept her head as she nodded, "Yes, actually he does, and it's for Raven of the Teen Titans … I don't think he had the heart to watch her suffer anymore of Slade's torture so he let her go."

Milo stopped … and for the first time since she's met him, Jamie saw his face express sudden shock and disbelief as he stared at her as if she had grown another head, "Raven? The Half-Bred Sorceress? Are you for sure?"

"If I wasn't would I be telling you? I even helped him patch her up after he took her from Slade's capture." Jamie wasn't liking Milo's sudden change in interest, "Why? Do you know her personally or something?"

He didn't answer, only left her hanging in the hall as he suddenly turned his heel and briskly walked back to confront the thief. Jamie watched with narrowed eyes and a disapproving frown, _Damn bastard's probably going to lecture X on the dangers of meddling with Titans … X doesn't need that … I hope neither of them start a fight … _she shuttered. She hoped that for X's sake, the thief was strong, agile, cunning, and frighteningly calculating … but Milo _**wasn't **_**human **… that was a danger in and of itself. Never mind if Milo had skills in fighting or not, his natural instincts as a beast were likely to kick in if the two ever threw-down.

She reached the living room, only to find her brother uncharacteristically standing in front of the large plain window watching the rain obscure the darkened world. A melancholy, distant look on his face, Jamie frowned and sighed, _Seems like ever since she left every one's been feeling depressed … I got to admit … I even miss her … she was kind a cool … _thinking that was the case where he brother was concerned. Jamie walked up to him and placed her hand behind her back and tilted her head, "You alright? Something on your mind?"

"…" for a moment, her bother, once again caught her off guard when he failed to respond with at least a decent shrug. Instead he sighed heavily and scratched the top of his head, meaning something must have really been bothering him as he glanced at his sister for a split second then retuned to staring at his reflection in the glass and the rain, "I don't know Jamie … something about this whole thing doesn't add up. Isn't Slade the kind of guy that doesn't give-up so easily? Especially if he could just taste victory in the palm of his hands? He had Raven in is grip, even without Rob's assistance … and the whole _'keeping-her-away-from-her-friends' _thing doesn't seem logical either. Who was he aiming for? Robin of the Teen Titans, Raven … or … something else … some_**one**_ else … but why go through the trouble? See what I'm saying?"

Jamie didn't want to … his concept was frightening.

Slade … aiming for X?

She literally shuttered the thought.

She knew Slade from a rumor point of view, and she knew Red X even better, she knew his past, his secrets, his thoughts … she knew what he was capable of. If placed in the care of a mad-man like Slade, could prove utterly fatal, because, both men thought the same where achieving a goal was concerned. Though she'd never say such a thing out loud and to X's face least she get her throat ripped out, but still … it was a disturbing chill.

_**SLAM!**_

X had to admit, for a split second he was startled when his door was slammed open and a growling Milo stood at the entrance baring fangs and clenching the door so tightly his claws dug into the polished wood. Walking in, he slammed the door shut, and X glared as Milo continued to growl low and dangerously, "I am taking _**extreme **_measures not to cross the room and tear into your flesh for even having the very gull to just stand there like you've done nothing wrong."

Milo, X knew, was a deadly character, anything set him off … but it had to be the right kind of anything, and that right kind of anything was hard to find. However, when X knew he pushed the wrong button that triggered the bloodlust side of him, he also knew how to weasel his way out of a confrontation … not that he was scared to face his beast head on. No, it was actually for the simple truth of he didn't know what kind of beast he was dealing with, and with that absent knowledge made it sort of a no-fly-zone where teasing and manipulation was concerned around Milo.

Which was why X frowned, he didn't know what set the creature off this time to make him say such words, and X didn't doubt that he would do it to. The thief raised a brow, "What the hell are you talking about?"

The sound of a vicious snarl ripped through the otherwise tense room and before X knew what hit him he was slammed against the wall window, cracking it, coming very close to breaking it as Milo clasped one large hand around his throat. X retaliated and, as if born with his own inhuman skills, snuck out of Milo's grasp and without warning sent a fist flying to the side of the beast's head. Milo was fast enough to side-step the attack and appearing behind the human sent a simple back-hand to the back of his head. X spun out to the ground and stayed their on his hands and knees trying to stop the world from spinning.

Milo sneered, baring his fangs and glancing at his sharp talons, noticing with a frown that he had hit the human at the wrong angle and scraped his skull. There was blood on his middle claw, he snorted and returned to glare at the equally glaring human, "The temerity in you astounds me, but not as much as the haughty attitude of yours that has you thinking you can do anything you wish without consequence. Now I know for a fact that besides money, power, and sheer boredom being the motivations for your hazardous occupation, you make sure you gain certain merits to help you in life … what merit would the Sorceress of the Titans bring you I wonder."

It wasn't a question, but it wasn't a statement either.

X huffed and felt the back of his head … bring his finger to his face to notice a small smear of blood in it. He gritted his teeth and clenched said hand into a fist as he carefully got to his feet. Noticing Milo taking cautious steps back as if prepared for another confrontation, the thief tried with all his might to control his rising temper, hating himself because he prided himself in keeping his temper under control. Yet, ever since _**she **_weaseled her way into his vaulted heart, it became increasingly hard to control his emotions.

However, he couldn't blame her.

He only had himself to blame … which made him even more irritable.

Hardly – if ever – in life, had he **ever **held himself accountable for his own actions.

His silence unsettled Milo, and Milo snorted as his narrowed crimson orbs glanced out the pouring rain, "Figures … you manipulated her to stand on your side of the fence …"

That set him off, X scowled and threw Milo an intense glare, "Fuck you, that had nothing to do with –"

"Say I'm a liar," Milo challenged standing tall – taller than X that's for sure – glaring down at him in a contemptuous manner, "go ahead, tell me I'm wrong … give me another _**good **_reason as to why you put up with her for so long …"

X hated loosing just as much as he hated being out of control, and standing there, taking this lecture from Milo knowing that he was right and he himself was wrong irked him to no end. He felt so much like smacking that smug smirk off the beast's face when he didn't respond to the challenge. Milo snorted, "That's what I thought ... despite the … _'changes' _that may have accrued when you were with her … you can never teach an old dog new tricks."

He had it wrong … but not completely …

X knew, deep down, that was part of the reason why he held Raven so close to him, her status; he knew he could use it. Work it into his advantage, and just as he predicted when she was whisked away from him, she didn't rat … he affected her so much that she was … enchanted by him. X wasn't stupid, he knew his abilities and he knew his place, he hardly if ever lost his footing in a game of cat-and-mouse … and where Raven was concerned he made sure to walk the tight-rope rigidly straight. Yet … even still … he wasn't able to predict the outcome of the possibility that he'd still fall even though he was very careful.

He really did overestimated himself.

The point being, Milo is right to think that he was using Raven … he couldn't help it, it was second nature to him to calculate the oddities and the possibilities of forming a bridge between Titan and Thief. To really get someone on the inside to spill information … he thought of it … often … and the more he thought of it … the more determined he became to have her.

But when he started to put it like that …

To have her …

Changed to wanting her …

Which evolved to a dangerous need …

She was incredibly captivating.

Forbidden …

Tantalizing …

In every way enchanting … thinking about it now after Milo had made such a clear point. He had to narrow his eyes when suspicion gripped his heart and he ended up slowly looking up at the beast with cold obsidian eyes and matching his heated crimson hues. Milo raised a brow when he saw the skepticism in the human's intense expression, what realization had he come to he wondered. X's scowl returned as he changed the subject, not the one being attack this time, but being the attacker, "What's it all to you?"

"I don't want to be dragged into a confrontation with the Titans," Milo answered pointedly, however, too quickly for X's tastes, it was like he had that answer planned and expected the question.

So X went on gut instinct this time and pushed the questioning even further, "You act as if you've ran into her before."

It never left Milo's observation that X had been specific in who he was addressing, so he flashed his fangs and made sure to be in control of this minor interrogation, "I'm not exactly a boy scout now am I? No, I just don't want to deal with trouble … I've had enough of it in my past life, so do me a grand favor and don't attract anymore trouble to me. Especially from that bunch."

"That wasn't the question," X sneered, and Milo growled.

"You think you scare me, _human?"_

"Answer the question, what do you know about Raven?"

Milo's crimson eyes narrowed warningly as a small growl escaped his throat, not at all liking how X was standing up to him. Snorting, he walked around the human and headed for the exit, "I know she's a Titan … and they are always more trouble than they're worth."

X gritted his teeth and opened his mouth to call attention to himself, but a funny beeping noise stopped him, coming from his laptop upon his nightstand. Glancing at it then moving to glare at Milo he found him already gone, running a hand through his hair and scratching his skull he grumbled and walked to his laptop. Pressing the enter button he quickly scanned over the message and his irritation changed in a snap to a frown.

**--**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans**

**A/N: Don't worry my favorite people in the whole wide world, I haven't forgotten about you, see another update in a matter of … I don't know, was it a week? **_**(shrugs)**_** I would have posted this up sooner, but I was working on another story – not Teen Titan related – but a personal story. One that's of my own characters and plot and such and such, ANYWAY, thank you guys for your support, I really, REALLY do LOVE YOU ALL!**

**So here's a few cup-cakes and candies for you to enjoy while I work on the next chapters.**

**L8er daez**


	14. The Shade of X

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of X+**

"_Hate me today ..._

_Hate me tomorrow ..._

_Hate me for all the things I didn't do for you ..._

_Hate me so you can finally see_

_What's good for you ..."_

_- "Hate me"_

_- Blue October_

_**SLAM!**_

Jamie jumped off the couch, Otto flinched at the echo within the house, and Milo looked up dryly at the thief who had finally come out of his room dressed for an outing a permanent scowl on his face. Fixing his collar, Jamie leapt over the couch and followed after X, "Rob – Trix! What's going on?"

"Life." Was his crude remark.

Jamie raised a brow, "Huh?"

X scoffed, "What? Did you think I'd give up my day job? I got a client that wants to discuss a few things with me."

"What!" Jamie reeled in disbelief, "Trix! You're under Slade's radar! You'll be committing suicide if you take this job!"

"So I'll be extra careful _**mother,"**_ X shrugged her off, "I still have to take it. If I don't, it'll prove to Slade that he has the power to control my life … I won't have it."

"Well that's just stupid," Milo snorted from across the room, leaning on the glass windows arms crossed he glared at the equally annoyed thief and sneered, "you never needed to prove anything before, why start now? Not only that, but if Slade knows your true name, what's to stop him from knowing everything else about you? This could be a trap."

X turned on his heel and continued on his way to the door, "Good, that way I can settle his obsession once and for all. He doesn't know who he's messing with."

Milo couldn't help to smirk deviously as his fangs poked out from his lips and his crimson eyes glowed in utter amusement, "And you don't know what you're getting yourself into, _**Trix**_ … so … what kind of flowers you said you wanted on your casket again?"

"…" he opened the door.

Jamie put a hand on his shoulder, "Trix … don't do it …"

"…" he walked out, "Don't wait up."

"Trix!" he slammed the door on her and Jamie spun around to glare at the chuckling Milo, "He's going to get himself killed and all you're doing is standing there laughing!"

Milo shrugged, "You know for a valedictorian graduate, you're not very bright … ever thought that, that was the whole idea? He's still human, he still has a conscious, and he still has guilt … even social psychopaths have feelings."

Jamie crossed her arms over her chest and scowled, "What are you trying to say? That he feels guilty and he's going to kill himself over it?"

"No …" Otto sighed and smoothed his hair back glancing at his twin sister he huffed and turned his back on her to stare out the liquefied glass with the rain still pouring and pounding relentlessly through out the night. He frowned and saw Jamie come towards him through her glass reflection, Milo standing just a few feet off in the picture. Otto shrugged, "… he's just trying to make things right … but since he hardly knows what that is … he's going at it the only way he knows …"

"Which might be the wrong way," Milo grinned, then glanced down at the thoughtful Jamie, "don't seem so surprised … he's not like most other humans I know … he can take perfectly good care of himself … but besides all that … I'm going back to bed … good-night."

He left … and Jamie plopped down on the couch in defeat, Otto watched her for a moment, not understanding how she can stress over X so much. He understood, however, that when they started to work for X, the only reason Jamie and him ever agreed was because Jamie thought X was an excellent specimen to study. The mind of the subconscious, Jamie wanted to find out what went on in his head … and Otto wasn't going to lie, he was curious as well … the only thing is.

The longer they stayed with X the more the lines of business to friendship started to blur … they started to care about what happened to each other.

**((--Titan Tower--))**

**((--Jump City--))**

Ever since their arrival back in their home plate, neither Raven nor Robin caught a break from each other's hostile vibes … and the fact that the alarm went off didn't help much either. Sleep disturbed – and deprived – all Titans reported to the Ops Room trying oh-so hard not to fall flat on their faces from exhaustion, Beast Boy yawned as Robin jumped the couch and started to type furiously on the super-computer, "Dudes … what now!"

"Oh … dare I say it's most taxing the way rest evades our grasp," Starfire moaned, her hair a total wreck, Raven had to faintly wonder if the reason for Starfire's exhaustion was slightly caused by her disappearance. After all, never in her heroic career had Raven ever heard Starfair complain about going on a mission so late at night when the scent of a storm loomed in the heavens. With her hood up and her head down, eyes hidden in darkness she glanced discreetly at Robin and shuttered when she felt his harsh gaze land on her almost accusingly.

Raven narrowed her eyes on him and dared him to say anything that so much as hinted to her disloyalty. He turned away, pressed one key on the keyboard and everyone's mouths dropped open, even Raven who had to steady herself from swaying when she saw **him **on the screen. His skull-mask glaring menacingly at the screen, Red X, in full costume, Raven gulped and bowed her head. Starfire suddenly stood protectively behind her. Hands on her shoulders, Raven gritted her teeth and tried not to snap at the princess who glared at the screen. While Beast Boy growled, "What does this clown what now?"

"More xinthonium apparently," Robin scowled, his voice a deadly-calm while his mask an evil stare, "that's Logan Science Lab, holds a good amount of xinthonium …"

Cyborg frowned and looked over at Raven, "Rob … I have a bad feeling about this … we get Raven back and _**he **_shows up? Little more than coincidence."

Robin balled his hands into fists and began to grind his teeth as he hissed, "That's why he's not getting away this time."

"Don't be overzealous," Raven passively stated wishing she had just kept her mouth shut, but since it just came out she figured she might as well go all the way with being Jenny-Rain-Cloud and turned her back on her team to head for the exit, "X is … is … naturally selfish, he'll get what he wants at whatever the price. I'd exercise more caution than aggression."

Robin looked ready to protest and Raven expected it, but seeing as they were on a time clock where this thief was concerned he let it slide for now and lead the team onward to confront the villain who started the mess. It didn't take them long to get them to their destination, but since X had climbed a few more spots on Robin's shit-list the distance was killer. Patience, was not one of Robin's virtues, Slade would never let him live that fact down. So revving the throttle and screaming down the streets of Jump City, saying Robin was flying was an understatement.

Yet, all jokes aside Cyborg pulled a brake-drift and the T-Car came to a dramatic stop, Starfire floated out of the backseat with Raven levitating beside her, Beast Boy immediately morphed into a stealthy cheetah and Robin snapped out his bo-staff. The Titans were armed and ready to go, Cyborg blasted the door open and Raven gritted her teeth, _So much for a stealthy entrance … _she thought with a disappointed frown. Of course, how had she forgotten that, that was just the way how her team rolls?

Through the smoke and prepared for battle, Robin bravely jumped into the blinding smoke with the rest of his team in tow, Raven picking up the rear flack least the thief decided to pull a fast one. Having spent a few days with X gave her a little incite to how he worked … and she was pretty damn sure that if he had his head on right, he had high-tailed his ass out of the vicinity. Unless it was a silent alarm that he tripped … but even still, Raven couldn't believe what she was thinking … but …

She had doubts.

Doubts that X was stupid enough not to know that something didn't go well that night.

He wasn't stupid enough not to realize that he was probably walking into a trap.

And most of all:

She knew he damn sure wasn't deaf.

The explosion Cyborg made was loud enough to wake the ancient dead, surely he'd get the hint and run away … right?

Raven huffed, she prayed to God she was right … otherwise, if she was wrong … that meant one thing: _X tripped the alarm on purpose … idiot._ She left the thought at that, otherwise if she asked herself why he would do such a stupid thing than it would interfere with her job at capturing him. She had already given him a chance with Robin, allowed him to get away with a lie … she wasn't going to do it again and allow him to escape.

Before she knew it, her entire team had come into the center of the facility, a circular room with a glass dome roof and four different passageways – five if you included the tunnel that they came from. Which everyone knew X wasn't down that way … but Raven had her doubts, instinctively all the Titans slid up back-to-back in a circle. Robin at point, Robin frowned and hated to do it … but it was the fastest way to deal with the situation.

He glanced at Starfire and motioned her towards the far right pathway, Beast Boy was taking the far left, Cyborg took the center left and Robin took the last pathway. Leaving Raven to stand in the middle of the circular room to watch everyone's back … she frowned and controlled the urge to roll her eyes. Knowing exactly why Robin did this, she stood patiently suspicious with every shift in the air.

Silence …

Perfect silence …

Deafening … Raven gulped and furrowed her brows, _Did he already leave?_

She was about to be proven wrong.

"**WHA – AAAAHHH!!!"** Raven shuttered, _Starfire … _levitating she was about to shoot down the hallway to help her friend … but the hallway with Cyborg exploded!

_**KAAABOOOOMM!!**_

_Cyborg … _Raven redirected her flight, knowing Starfire could take care of herself for now, but stopped dead in her tracts when she caught a flash of green and Beast Boy was trying to race out of his hallway as a cheetah. He roared and jumped into the air to escape the red adhesive which snapped at his leg and yanked him back. He morphed back with the pure expression of fear, "Raven!"

"Beast Boy …" she dropped to the ground and ran for him, taking a hold of his wrist and pulling him back to her, the adhesive was stronger and her grip was still too loose. With another yank he was pulled away from her and into the shadows. Raven stumbled, but refused to lose, gritting her teeth she made a move to go after Beast Boy, but a fist clenched around her cape stopped her.

Just like Beast Boy she was pulled, but back into the circular room, thrown to the ground she bounced and her hood fell back. On the ground with an aching butt, she looked up and a scream was caught in her throat when Red X's skull mask loomed over her menacingly. She felt him smirk … recognized his aura … and held her breath, suddenly unsure of what to do … until he grabbed the front of her cloak and effortlessly pulled her to her feet and inches from his mask. Raven shuttered and couldn't help it … but his name slipped passed her lips sounding utterly confused, "Xander?"

He chuckled, "Did you really think I'd make it that easy for you? You got a lot to learn Angel." his distorter masked his real voice behind a mechanical hum, but his tone, his way with words … cold and ruthless … just like the thief he was, but Raven didn't understand it.

Why? Why was he doing this? And before she knew what she was asking, it slipped, "What are you doing?"

"Taking what's mine of course," he scoffed and reached a gloved hand up to run it through her violet hair. Involuntarily she flinched at his touch, the glove was smooth, but that wasn't what made her flinch … it was the iciness within his mocking gesture that made her shuttered. There was something very, _**very **_wrong here, "isn't that the way the story goes? The good guys always win …"

"No …" she whispered in disbelief …something was _**SO**_ wrong with this picture, but she couldn't put her goddamned finger on it! Shaking loose from his grasp she levitated away from him and glared, "No! _**Azarath! Metrion! Zinthous!"**_

Weakly she felt her power grasp the pipes hidden in the walls, ripped them out and commanded the now snaky moving pipes after the thief who flipped away and vanished from sight. The teleportation, Raven prepared herself and spun around when she expected him to appear behind her … but she dreadfully misjudged. He reappeared in _**front**_ of her … and since she spun around he was now behind her. Without hesitation he swiped her feet from under her and before she hit the ground he grabbed her throat and slammed her down and her head rang.

She felt his amusement and gritted her teeth still trying to prevent the world from spinning as he said mockingly, "What's the matter angel? Aren't you happy to see me? A moment ago you were all over me."

It hurt, not the physical pain, but what he was saying.

It hurt her head, he was confusing her.

Why was he doing this!

Again, the words slipped before she could fight the urge to say it … no not _'say', _but scream it at the top of her lungs, _**"Why!"**_

"Raven!" Robin literally dropped in and slammed a steel-toed foot to the side of the thief's head, knocking him off Raven, Robin stood protectively between her and the thief. Raven scrambled to her feet and out of instinct alone backed off to give Robin room as she massaged the growing bump in the back of her head. Robin glanced concernedly at her, but never took his guard off of the thief who was struggling with the same problem Raven had not too long ago, trying to stop the world from spinning. Robin glared at X, while he asked, "You okay?"

Raven cleared her throat and tried her best not to look too confused or hurt for that matter as she muttered, "Yeah …"

Then … the thief said something peculiar, so low under his breath that Raven almost didn't catch it … but with her heightened sense she heard it, and her confusion only grew, _"Ugh … where am I …"_

And this may have just been her imagination … but he sounded – _**felt **_– different for a split second … but it was gone in a flash and he was on his feet sneering at Robin. Robin brandished his bo-staff warningly and if looks could kill X would be six-feet under about now, "I'm going to enjoy this."

X smoothly slid a hand behind his back, straightened up and with a twirl of his wrist bowed mockingly to provoke the already agitated Robin, "By all means …"

No pauses, just a flat out free-for-all.

Raven found herself having to jump back when a few of X's blades bounced off Robin's staff and nearly impaled her. Being very careful to steer clear, Raven had to admit for a couple of humans they moved with speeds and forces frighteningly similar to nighttime beasts. Robin rapidly spun his staff and faked the motion to slam the side of X's head, but ended up twirling around to swipe his feet from under him. X was expectantly one-step a head, flipping back to avoid tripping and gaining some distance.

The moment he crouched he threw more blades, but this time they wee explosives, Robin leapt away, but followed the thief's movements carefully and threw his own share of blades to halt him from running too far. X skidded to a stop before he was made into a human-pin cushion and seemed to scowl as Robin flashed out of the smoke and successfully landed a blow to the side of his masked head. X spun out and stopped to the ground; Robin had no mercy and kicked the thief to skid him a cross the room and bump into far wall.

Raven felt herself cringe, controlled the urge to stop the fight, constantly reminded herself just what side she was on.

X groaned … and if it wasn't for the mask she was pretty sure he'd have coughed out a lung out, Robin was ruthless when he wanted to be and the power behind every one of his movements were definite. Robin stood in triumph as he glared down at the thief … obviously winning wasn't enough at this point … he hated X just as much as he hated Slade. In fact … Raven felt that Robin hated anyone even associated with the mad-man.

The thief choked, "Ah … kudos kid … you've been training."

"Shut-up, you have the right to remain silent," Robin gritted his teeth and stalked towards the villain who was struggling to get to his feet … obviously he's taken too many whacks to the head to even try and move. More than likely, Raven was seriously contemplating if Robin hit him hard enough to give him a concussion.

"I also have a right to an attorney …" X chuckled hoarsely as he leaned on the wall for support, "… but let's face it … I'll never see my day in court … it's either do or die and to be honest kid, I'd rather die."

"Suit yourself."

Raven shuttered, _That sounded colder than it was supposed to … was he serious? _Raven prayed not, Robin didn't have it in him to kill a man … did he?

She knew X didn't … or _**did **_he?

The sorceress scowled inwardly, she was confusing herself!

Again the thief chuckled and Raven sensed he was about to do something stupid, she didn't need her powers to tell her that, it was just the way he sounded and the nature of the beast. Backed into the corner, weak, and at mercy … he was going to fight his way tooth and claw for freedom, it was evident in his earlier statement. He'd rather die than get sent to prison, "Don't think I'll make it easy."

Without warning he threw one blade, one blade that Robin easily dodged and as he rushed X, the grinning thief, Raven gasped at where the blade was headed, "Starfire! DOWN!"

Robin jerked to a stop, "Star …?"

X laughed defiantly, "See ya around kid …"

In a wink, he was gone, and in that same second Starfire looked up and barely leaned back to dodge the blade that sliced through the air and into the hallway she came out of. Gasping in shock, and slightly dazed and confused she glanced at Robin and Raven then frowned and blinked stupidly, "Wha … I am … undamaged …?"

Raven sighed in relief and remembered how to breath again, dropping to her knees in mental exhaustion. Robin cursed angrily at the realization that the thief had gotten away. Raven closed her eyes and held a hand to her heart … for now … she was just glad no one was hurt … X could come after her all he wanted. But when he goes after he friends … for some reason it made her dreadfully uneasy.

Especially after tonight …

There was something wrong with Red X tonight, and she was determined to find out what it was.

Even if it cost her, her friends' trust … she just had to know why he appeared so … _**different.**_

**((--Next Afternoon--))**

**((--Trix Hill--))**

Eating straight out of the Chinese Box and slurping up the noodles, Otto leaned back on the white leather couch, getting comfortable as he chewed his food and watched the news. Nothing special … some terrorist attack, health-tips, commentaries, news break on Red X's appearance, even more commentaries and – before he knew it he had ruined the white couch by spitting up his food in disbelief. Sitting up he grabbed the remote and turned up the volume till it was practically shouting at him. His brown eyes widened and his mouth dropped to the carpet floor, "Fuck … no …"

"… _having broken into Logan Science Lab, apparently on the prowl for some more xinthonium, the notorious Red X was fortunately unsuccessful, but investigators have the sneaking suspicion that more than just chemicals are what this thief is after. Coincidently enough, only after the finding of local Jump City hero, Raven, did Red X reappear. We can only hope that this is just that, a mere coincidence."_

"**Fuck!" **Otto jumped to his feet and threw his food down, shutting off the TV when the news switched to something else he took off into the hall where he knew Jamie was taking residence and banged on her door, "Jamie! Jamie! Open up!"

A few clicking, loud cursing, and the swinging of the door open, the tired blond glared at her twin brother, "What! In case you haven't notice I only got to sleep 20 minutes ago, this better be important!"

"It's X!" Otto announced, "The fuckin' retard is all over the fuckin' news! He was up against the Titans last night."

That shocked Jamie wide-awake, slamming the door shut and reemerging with a large t-shirt over her sport-bra she walked out of her room and both her and her brother headed back out into the den Otto came from. At just the right time, the same news sprung up and Jamie got an eye and an ear full of the footage that was captured on the fight between Robin and X … but Jamie was damn certain that more than that happened. The tape was being censored … what could the Titans be hiding that they didn't want on the news?

Was X really after Raven again?

Why?

Was that his assignment last night?

Had he gone to make amends with Slade?

Jamie prayed to God that wasn't the case.

Then … as if on cue, the entrance door was unlocked and the exhausted thief walked in, smoothing back his naturally messy tinted hair, his obsidian eyes empty and void of all emotions as he sighed tiredly and threw off his jacket. Tossing it on the coat hooks; he walked in on Jamie and Otto and frowned when he noticed the appearing stain of Chinese noodles on his white couch. He sneered, "Aw, come on … that thing cost more than a damn car and you had to go and ruin it … great … just what I need."

Jamie glared at him, "Oh, but it gets better … where the hell were you last night!"

Taken back by the sudden hostilities, he blinked and the tiredness in his tone took a bewildered turn. Raising a cautious brow as Otto turned off the TV, both twins stood mirrored with arms crossed over their chests just glaring at him accusingly. X furrowed is brows together and glanced from one twin to the other, "Alright … lets get to the point and fast because I'm in no mood, what the hells up?"

Otto sneered, "You tell us, you went out to replenish your suit last night?"

X blinked again and raised a confused brow, "Wha …?"

"Oh come off it X!" Jamie suddenly snapped, "Where the hell do you get off making a spectacle of yourself! Who's side are you on this time?"

"Mine," X growled and stepped up to the twins, as Jamie snorted.

"Yeah, that's convenient of you."

The thief was getting sick of running in circles, "What the fuck is going on?"

Otto sighed exasperatedly, "X, you were all over the news! They claim that you were targeting Raven … was that the job you took? Was that where you went?"

"…" He didn't answer right away; Jamie gulped down a sick twist in her stomach, was he really with Slade again? She bit down on her lower lip and shook her head, she wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but it was nearly impossible when he stood there and looked completely guilty. That is … until his dark jewel-like eyes hardened to stone as he glared at the duo pointing at each individually addressing them as he made his way to his quarters, "Fuck you. Fuck you. I was no where _**near **_Jump City, not that it's any of your business."

The twins followed after him determined to get the story straight, Jamie pressured him, "Than where were you?"

"George Black," he snorted, "but don't take my word for it, go call him yourself, he wanted me to get some important information from the CIA, the usual, the bastard still thinks they're after him."

He stopped at his door, but only to open it, Jamie stood close behind him and waited till he tuned around to fire another accusing question with a cold stare, "And that took you all night?"

X scowled, "Like I said, don't take my word for it, George can be reached at 1-800-KISS-MY-ASS."

_**SLAM!**_

Jamie bit down on her lower lip and glared at the ground, glancing up at her brother she asked in a whisper, making sure that X wouldn't be able to hear them from beyond the door, "You believe him?"

Otto shook his head with a tired shrug, "I don't know … it's kind of hard to imitate the Red X suit unless it's the real thing … or unless someone has the design on paper …"

"So you think someone's going around impersonating him?"

"Copy-cats are highly-unlikely, but not uncommon," Otto sighed, Jamie frowned and they both stood in silence for a moment, before the door across from X's opened and Milo stepped out. Leaning on the door frame he smirked mockingly at the duo who eyed him cautiously, obviously having forgotten that they were sharing living space with an inhuman monster.

His toothy grin sent shivers down Jamie's spine as his crimson eyes pierced through their souls Just as easily – if not more directly – as X's obsidian-orbs … it was disturbing. The way he can stare at them like they were food as he chuckled and closed his door, and walked down the hall, "You humans are so amusing … all this commotion for something as meaningless as being caught on film … but I'm quite sure I had commented my part in the discussion last night. Stupid."

Otto narrowed his eyes and was ready to protect his friend with a rebuttal, but X's door opened again and the twins made room for him to march down the hall. Milo paused and looked over his shoulder with a smug grin as the thief stormed passed him, ignoring his mocking comments, "A successful night might be saying much, hmm? I'm sure the Titans appreciated your visit … Raven didn't seem to mind."

Wrong button to press, Raven was still a touchy subject where X was concerned.

Without so much as a warning Milo found himself suddenly snarling defensively when X had him pinned against a wall, the side of his arm pressed against his neck. Milo was honestly shocked that the human could move this fast … in fact it startled him, there was no way it was possible! Controlling his use of claws when he sensed Jamie and Otto coming to pry the thief off of him, X seemed determined to see him dead … but his pressure was loosing it's threat and just as fast as he was on him he was gone. Pulling away from Jamie and Otto, the two stared after X in utter bewilderment; Jamie was the bravest to call out to him, "Where are you going?"

"The garage," he answered in a grumble, "my bike needs a tune up."

With that, he was gone, temper and all.

Milo, this time, was smart enough not to press buttons as he snorted and straightened himself out, muttering to himself, "Well … somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed … he's more sensitive than usual."

Jamie glared, "You asked for that one."

Milo pretended he never heard the human and made his way to the den, where he noticed the stain on the white leather and just as X before him had scowled and scoffed, "Great …"

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

Jamie, Otto, and Milo all turned to the entrance and stared at it for a moment with utter confusion. The twin gulped and asked in unison, _"Are we expecting company?"_

Milo bared his fangs, "Non that I know of … seems like Robin is far more popular than I first imagined …"

Bravely he walked towards the door and answered like he would any other time someone came knocking at his door. Opening it he peeked outside and gazed upon a stunning blond with equally stunning jade eyes with golden flakes. Dressed casually in a tight grayish turtleneck and dark blue jeans, obviously trying to deflect the constant rain she was trying to escape. She smiled sheepishly at Milo who just stared at her like she was some sort of fish out of water that could talk with a voice that was candy-coated sweetness, "Oh, hello … this is the Tanner Residence, correct?"

"…" it took a moment for it to register, but Milo caught on quick, "Yes, this is …"

"Well, then …" her jade eyes brightened and she snapped out a hand for him to shake, "… I'm Marisa Van'Gareth …"

Milo took her hand and as he shook it he pulled her inside to get out of the rain, "Milo … Milo Arch, I don't believe we've met."

Marisa giggled cutely, "Probably not … I'm more acquainted with the master of the house actually and I was wondering if he was here."

"Trix?" Milo asked.

"Yes," Marisa nodded; seeming nervous a she glanced around the spacious building, "wow … nice place."

"Trix always did have … exceptional tastes," as he said it, his eyes never left the beautiful bland, Marisa glanced back at him, Milo appeared completely casual and cleared his throat. Carefully placing hi hand lightly on the small of her back he directed her toward the garage, "Well, then, if you wish to see Trix Tanner, than it shall be my command."

Marisa giggled and blushed a bit at Milo's otherworldly charm.

Meanwhile, hidden within the shadows of the hallway, Jamie and Otto's mouths dropped, Jamie hanging on her brother asked in utter disbelief, "Marisa …? What is she – no – _**how **_did she find X!"

Otto slapped a hand over her mouth to shut her up, "Shh! I don't know … but damn, she even knows his current identity."

Jamie pulled Otto's hand from her mouth and hissed in annoyance, "Fuck, Rob wasn't lying when he said this little bitch was persistent … what do we do!"

"Nothing we can do … but watch it play out."

"Well I'm getting fuckin' sick of sitting and watching! I'm telling you, some weird shit I going on and I'll be damned if I don't find out what it is."

"What are you going to do?"

"That bitch has impeccable timing, I don't know Otto, but I feel it in my gut, she's got something to do with this."

"You're being ridiculous … for all you know she's probably as worried about X as we are."

"Like hell she is."

Otto sighed tiredly, "James, I know what you're thinking, but you got to be reasonable … now that we know Marisa's family comes from a long line of witches, she probably already knows who Robin really is! Hell! I'm willing to bet that she knew from the start. I say we just let her go."

Jamie glared at her brother, "Let her go? _Let her go! _Are you out of your goddamned mind! After what she did to Rob, you're just going to stand there and tell me to _let her go! _Hell no!"

"Jamie," Otto reached out and took hold of his sister's shoulders, forcing her to stand still, look him in the eye, and listen very carefully, "I'm not the psychiatrist here … but I get the feeling that Marisa's turned over a new leaf … I think … she might actually be really sorry for what she tried to do to Robin before. Besides, we both know – we both _knew_ – Raven was a lost cause … it was just a heat of the moment thing. You know, one of those, _'I-want-what-I-can't-have'_ kind of moments. They'll both grow out of it, maybe Marisa's just a stepping stone for X … I could be wrong, but if X doesn't get his ass back into gear soon Slade's already won."

"But I don't like her!" Jamie whined sounding rather childish.

Otto patiently slipped away from his sister and said with a reluctant, but supportive smile, "I know … but that's not for you to judge."

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans**

**A/N: … Is it just me … or does X have a personality disorder border lining social psychopath with slight amnesia? Who knows, I don't … O.o …:) okay, so maybe I do, but like I'm gonna tell you right off the bat ;), you all are smart individuals, I'm sure you'll get the picture. If you don't, oh well, more fun for me to torture you with a later update.**

**Luv yazs**

**l8er daez**

**p.s. sorry for the lack of grammar corrections and the like, I got lazy, very, VERY SORRY for that.**

**L8er daez**


	15. The Shade of Jealousy

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Jealousy+**

"_If I gave you the truth,_

_Would it keep you alive?_

_Though I'm closer to wrong,_

_I'm no further from right …"_

"_Truth"_

_Seether_

"So … you're housemates with Trix?" Marisa asked, quite smitten with the charming Milo Arch, already guessing that he wasn't human where his abnormal crimson eyes were concerned … that is … of course, unless he was an albino. However, Marisa highly-doubted that with his healthy tanned complexion and his sly smile or smirk, even his voice was deep and velvety.

Soothing to the ears … Marisa had to faintly wonder if he sounded just as good singing as he was talking. Like a soft wistful lullaby, so very alluring, "Yes, it was actually on a whim sort of thing … I moved into town, needed a place to stay, Trix just so happened to be around the neighborhood and offered to share his humble abode."

Marisa nodded, listening to every word attentively, "So you two must be close friends."

"I don't know about close," faking modesty, Milo shrugged gracefully, "but we are friends, but what about you my dear? Tell me your association with Trix."

"… uh …" Marisa stumbled and gulped, then nervously smoothed back her blond hair, turning away from Milo's crimson gaze. Getting the feeling that with a mere glance into her jade-green eyes he would be able to read into her very mind, so she trained herself to stare at the ground trying to come up with a convincing story, "… um … through Robin, Robin Xander … you know him?"

Milo nodded crudely, "Well enough, ah, here we are."

He stopped at the cracked open garage door; he peeked in making sure he shielded Marisa's view inside as he scanned the immediate area for the X bike. It was under its black covers, and its owner standing with his back faced to them tinkering with something on the tool-table. Pulling the door open he smirked at the human and cleared his throat, to gain his attention, "Trix?"

Marisa stood silently beside him her eyes locked on _'Trix's' _back.

X seemed uninteresting in his visitor and never bothered to look over his shoulder, "What now Milo?"

"Oh, nothing much, you just have a visitor," Milo's smirk widened as X scoffed.

"If it's George tell him to get a fuckin' life, I'm off for the day."

Milo chuckled, "Well, don't be rude now, what if George would be standing right beside me."

"Than he'd get the hint and get lost." There was a loud _clack_ as X dropped something, he jerked his head to move his hair from his eyes then bent and picked up the tool, obviously still oblivious to the fact that _'George'_ was not his visitor.

Milo took pleasure in the clueless-ness and glanced down at Marisa's gaping blank expression, he chuckled again and carefully backed up to make a swift exit as he said, "Trix … it's not George … but a young girl, named … _Marisa …"_

He whispered her name and immediately X's back stiffened, as realization hit him, spinning around to glare and throw a wrench at the damn grinning beast. Milo was already gone with the silently closing door the only clue to his existence. X made a promise to murder the damn bastard in his sleep tonight, but right now … he set his angered expression on Marisa's petite, feminine body. With her hands clasped in front of her innocently and her jade eyes dull under the dimmed sunlight coming through the opened garage door.

The rain still pouring creating a rather soothing rhythmic sound didn't help to loosen the intense air sparking in between the two. Marisa shyly looked away and glanced out the garage to the drenched driveway, taking in the scent of the rainstorm, she sighed and tried to relax … but couldn't. She came all this way to see him … to make sure he was safe … and now that she was standing before him she couldn't even speak, it was embarrassing, but she had to say something. So she let the words form at her lips, "Hi … Robin …"

"Trix …" he corrected dryly his cold black eyes glaring suspiciously at the young woman standing within his garage, "… the names Trix."

She blushed and bowed her head, "Oh … sorry Ro – Trix … it just sounds strange … why would you change your identity?"

"Many reasons …" X cryptically answered with a slowly forming scowl, his patience slipping with the small talk, so he got right to the point, "… how did you find me."

It was a demand, one that Marisa had to answer reluctantly, "Well, um, please don't be mad, but, I kind of scurried you."

X raised a brow and once again demanded, keeping his tone strictly indifferent, "English."

Marisa sighed and gave up gazing at everything else, but X and looked up at him, shuttering at how cold his expression was she gulped and answered immediately, "Scurried … it's like a homing device, only better."

That's when it sunk in and came back to him, _Oh … right … she's a witch … _he scoffed and turned his back on her with a roll of his eyes, "So what do you want?"

She took it as a chance to cross the garage to stand beside him, but stopped and finally took notice of the black tarp over what was shaped as a bike … but it seemed sort of funny shaped. Looking closer and observing the tires that were poking out of the bottom along with the rims, she gulped and looked back at X noticing he narrowed his eyes on her, glaring at her from over his shoulder. Marisa kept herself from stepping back out of uncertainty, but advanced. Trying to make it look like it didn't bother her one bit … and failing miserably. Whispering softly, acting as if, if she spoke any louder she'd be killed on sight, "So … it's true … you are, Red X …"

He stared at her for a moment, contemplating, trying to determine if whether or not he should tell her the truth. He huffed in defeated and decided it was pointless to hide it and shrugged, muttering sarcastically, "Surprise … but that doesn't tell me what you want."

"What I want?" she repeated slowly, rolling the words around her tongue, standing mere inches from him, suddenly remembering just how tall her old friend was and how good-looking. It was almost intimidating – correction, it _**is **_intimidating – especially now that she knew who he really was. It sent an uneasy shiver down her spine, but it never stopped her from reaching a hand up to rest on the side of face. Pulling herself closer to him, whispering carefully, "Robin … I just wanted to see you …"

On pure impulse she stood on her tip-toes and kissed him full on the lips, throwing her arms up to wrap around his neck. She was relieved when he wrapped his strong arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him, melting her into his frame returning the kiss. Fire raced through her entire being, lighting her up like a match as the long distant memories of their forgotten past caught up to her. Marisa sighed and from what seemed like forever, she finally pulled away and stared up into X's eyes.

Despite his signature smirk on his face, she frowned when his eyes were still cold; he chuckled and nudged his forehead against hers, "That was nice …"

Marisa slipped from his embrace and stared dejectedly at the tools on the table, "So … it was her … the Titan, Raven, you really _**do **_like her."

She said it with a bit more conviction than X would like to have heard, but he scoffed at the mention of _**her **_name and walked away from the Marisa's accusing jade gaze, "Oh, please, she's a Titan, that marks her as strictly off limits … she was just a job."

"Easier said," Marisa blurted, "you can't always ignore what your heart tells you."

"Mind over matter," X snorted and began to suddenly fiddle with mechanics to keep his mind off of the subject, but Marisa was persistent.

"You don't mean that."

"I mean it."

"No you don't."

"Yes, actually, I do."

She frowned and marched up to him, firmly placing a hand over his hands to stop him from working and to have him pay attention to her, she deflected his glare with her own scolding stare, "If it was really mind over matter than you would have kissed me with a little more feeling."

Something flashed across his dark eyes, malicious intent, Marisa should have recognized it and steeled herself for whatever would come out of his mouth, but she was too slow and the words that slipped struck more than just a chord, "I'm sorry, but since when did I ever care about what you felt?"

"…" speechless … she couldn't comeback, but only stared at X in stunned disbelief, "… you … you don't mean that …"

He stared down at her seriously, "I mean it …" he noticed her eyes start to get glossy, the beginning of tears, he turned away with a scoff, "don't start to cry, Marisa. You knew where this conversation was going, and you knew you wouldn't like the outcome. You asked for it."

She started to back away from him, started back for the door; he kept his unrelenting cold eyes on her, as if by will power alone he could get her gone from him. Her eyes closed only to let loose a few tears as her breathing hitched and her small body started to shake with approaching sobs of heartache. X gritted his teeth and forced himself not to care as her usually sweet face turned sour with a nasty scowl and dangerous eyes, "You really don't care … you don't care about what happens to anyone body else but your self! You're selfish!"

X smirked and shrugged, "I look out for number one … tell me something I don't know."

Her lower lip trembled as she shook her head and shouted, "You're such a jerk!" then took off running back into the house, through the den and towards the front exit.

The thief gritted his teeth and returned to whatever he was doing muttering only to himself, "Like I didn't know that already …"

Running the gauntlet of letting Otto, Jamie, and Milo see her distraught leave, Milo snorted in amusement, "Well … that went less painful than I thought it would be. Pity, I was hoping for a fight."

Jamie sneered in satisfaction at watching Marisa leave, "Like it would matter, hell! I can drop the slut in a heartbeat!"

"Easy now," Milo grinned and leaned down to Jamie, capturing her chin within his clawed fingers, she cringed at his touch and glared into his hypnotic eyes, "let's not get too ahead of ourselves sweet Jamie … Marisa comes from a long line of powerful witches and warlocks, who's the say that she can't just put a spell on you … or X for that matter."

Jamie's glare darkened, "Because if she did, than she's going to have to answer to Raven, I highly doubt the Titan will allow for that to happen."

Milo tilted his head in wonder, and released Jamie to cross his arms over his chest, "You seem so sure about that."

"Damn sure." Jamie smirked smugly, "Because I'm going to be the one to tell Raven that Marisa's messing with her man, and I get the feeling Raven's got a jealous streak."

A strange twinkle suddenly appeared in Milo's eye, a sort of cross between amusement and an enigmatic secret, like he knew something Jamie obviously didn't. Otto didn't like it, especially the way Milo laughed and turned his back on Jamie, muttering to himself as he walked away from the couple of humans. Thinking that he spoke too low for any of them to catch, Jamie didn't hear him, but Otto sure did and suspicion only grew. "Oh … you'd be surprised …"

There was something more to Milo than met the eye.

Something more than just his unknown species that disturbed Otto to his very core, the chemist shook his head and dismissed the thought. Then glanced in the direction of the garage and sighed exasperated, _Something's gotta give … _out of sheer boredom Otto headed for the garage. Jamie plopped down on the love seat, grabbed the remote and happily turned the TV on. Smirking smugly, obviously still ecstatic that Marisa had taken off in such a rush, Otto left her in her own little world as he stepped into the garage and spotted X on the edge of the exit.

Instinct told Otto to stay put, and good thing he did too because as soon as he entered the garage X let loose a stream of blades in a practice round. In perfect unison the blades impaled themselves into the target; Otto smirked when he saw all five hit the bull's-eye … but chuckled when he spotted a flaw, "You're off by a few centimeters."

X scoffed, "Not my fault, for some reason the doses put into making the blades have become heavier, throwing at least one out of every twenty rounds off balance."

Otto raised a curious brow, maybe this was something he could work on to keep himself busy, "Maybe a clog in the belt?"

Black/gray eyes glanced thoughtfully in his direction, but quickly swerved away when Otto looked at him, the thief sighed and shrugged with a frown, "Nope cleaned it out myself just a few minutes ago …"

"While Marisa was here?"

"Of course not … but it doesn't matter anyway, she knows."

"…" Otto nodded, never bothering to push the subject even further, only quietly stood beside his friend at the tool-table and began to help him figure out the problem with the xinthonium core.

A comfortable silence fell upon them, but that wasn't until X narrowed his eyes and glared suspiciously at Otto, "Why are you here?"

Otto blinked, "Uh … because I'm bored? I need something to do."

"Then go take Jamie into town, I'm sure you guys could find something to do."

"I'm not bored enough to allow my savings to suffer," Otto scuffed and shuttered at the thought of Jamie's shopping sprees, they often times set him back a few hundred – _**thousand – **_or so dollars. Taking the belt into his hands and scanning it over for damages or signs of usage he shrugged, "Why'd you chase off Marisa like that? You could use the distraction."

The thief snorted, "That's the last thing I need."

"Hmm …" Otto thought aloud with a tilted head, he discreetly glanced at his friend and found him doing something _**very **_out of character. He was leaning against the tool-table, shuffling his feet back and forth like a nerves little toddler. Otto's left brow shot up his forehead as X sighed heavily and then gritted his teeth and huffed, pushing off the table he began to pace around the garage smoothing back his hair. The chemist blinked and couldn't help to snort out a stifled chuckle as he muttered, "It'll pass."

"What?" X looked up at her friend, and Otto grinned and winked.

"It'll pass, man, trust me, in a few days without her, you'll have forgotten all about her."

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what Otto was talking about and X sneered, cringing as he asked reluctantly, "Does it really show?"

Otto laughed crudely, "More than you know … you act as if you're in love with her."

"…" the thief looked away.

"…" the chemist narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing his friend.

"…" the pacing started again.

"…" disbelief was starting to form in a shape of an 'O' on the chemist's mouth, as a shocking realization hit him like a barrage of X blades, "For real …?"

"What?"

"You know _what!"_ Otto's tone raised an octave or two as he put the belt down and stared at his friend as if an alien had landed before him and slapped him just to see if he would do anything in return.

X glared, "It's not like that."

Otto shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest, "Mind telling me what it's like then, because it sure does look like it … you really did see Raven last night."

"No!" He immediately denied, a bit too fast for Otto's tastes, but X explained with hesitant eyes, "Well … not the way you think … I _**did **_see Raven … but I was no where _**near **_xinthonium that night."

"Okay …" Otto nodded in understanding, "… so … you were in Jump, you saw Raven, but you didn't steal anything."

"Nothing."

"Alright then … you saw Raven … where and why?"

"…" X licked his lower lip for a moment in thought then sighed, "… the reason I was late coming back … I had to go back to Hawthorne to pick up a few things, she was there. She was talking to Lola, I didn't want her to see me so I snuck in the back way, but I bet she felt my presence or however her powers work there."

Otto blinked, "So you think she followed you?"

"Not likely …" the thief scowled, "Boy-Wonder's bike was parked in the front … he was probably in there with her."

"So she's wising up," Otto frowned, "she really does intent to track us down and take us in."

"… Wouldn't expect anything less of her."

Otto shook his head and glanced down at the x-belt one last time, then noticed something that had evaded his – and maybe even X's – observation. The switch to the xinthonium core was turned on … Otto narrowed his eyes then glanced at X and changed the subject, "Hey, did you flick the switch on the belt?"

X snapped back to the technical problem and shook his head, "No … I told you, I was no where near xinthonum last night, including my suit."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah … why?"

"Because …" Otto lifted up the belt and showed him the switch, flicking it off the glowing of the chemical dimmed down to the familiar dull glow X was used to, "… I think I just found your reason for the overdose … possible that you might have accidentally switched it?"

"Not on your life," X frowned, "You mean to tell me some shit-head is using my own suit to set me up?"

Otto shrugged, "Maybe."

One word … no … name, came to mind and X growled his name, "Slade … he's got someone else on his side."

**((--Later That Night--))**

**((--Titan Tower--))**

_VROOM!_

The Tower's garage opened and the R-cycle pulled in, smoothly with only _**one**_ person on bored, rolling up next to the T-Car and kicking down the stand, she shut off the bike and sat up. Taking off the red and yellow helmet she shook her head to loosen her violet hair and sighed as silence reigned supreme within the garage after the door closed shut. Dressed in everyday denim dark blue jeans, a black tang-top underneath a brown high collared leather jacket, Raven dismounted her leader's bike and hung the helmet on the handlebar.

Biting down on her lower lip she turned away from the bike and headed for her room through the stairs, only to come to a complete stop when the owner of the bike she had used stood in between her and her way into the tower. Leaning on the frame, Robin's white mask appeared to glow as he stared down at Raven with an unreadable expression. Although, Raven was willing to bet he was furious … after all, his bike was his baby, no one used his bike without permission and, guess what?

She used it without his permission, and to add insult to injury, she used it to return to Hawthorne in order to speak with the one guy she knew was strictly off limits. Raven relaxed her shoulders and stayed calm, training her voice to be as indifferent as it could be, "I thought you'd be asleep."

Robin pushed off the frame and walked in her direction, Raven stiffened and held her breath when he brushed passed her and went to his bike. Raven turned and followed him with her gaze, but stayed still as Robin glanced at her and asked quietly, casually, "Where've you been … Starfire wanted you to go shopping with you earlier."

"Oh …"

"…"

"…"

"… So … where've you been?" he repeated the question, not threatening or antagonistic at all, he sounded genuinely curious, but Raven knew better.

Should she lie?

Tell the truth?

Pros and cons, pros and cons, Raven gulped, nothing was ever fair anymore, nothing was easy anymore – no, scratch that – nothing was _**ever **_fair **OR** easy when it came to her. It was either all or nothing; she could never have it in between. The sorceress took a deep breath and prepared for the worse, after all, Robin was already threatening her with a dismissal from the Team. What could he possibly do worse? Send her to prison, highly-unlikely, unless he knew who Xander really was.

Raven immediately kicked that thought out of her mind; Robin wasn't _that, _observant to notice Xander was X. She'd give him credit for entertaining the thought, but Robin was still human, he wasn't psychic. Yet, this was all beside the point, Raven stood there contemplating whether or not she should tell the truth … and … she found that she had no choice. What could she come up with that was convincing enough for him to believe that involved the use of his bike?

Granted he may not like it, but what the hell, the truth always hurts.

"Steel City," she answered, not a total lie considering the fact that Hawthorne was there, Robin could figure it out from there, "… I … uh … went to see if there was any leads on X there."

"Leads …" Robin mimicked, not mockingly, just said it in a confirming tone as he stood closer to her.

Raven didn't move, she stood perfectly still, looking up at him feeling her voice suddenly dimming down to a whisper, acting as if someone from the team might hear here, "Yeah … you know … trying to figure out what X is planning, if it has anything to do with me."

"… Mm-hmm …" he hummed, "… and did _Xander, _have anything to say about it?"

He figured it out, Raven shook her head, "Couldn't reach him … Lola said he was gone for the day."

Robin snorted, "Convenient."

His tone made something go _click_ in her brain, and before she knew what she was saying it spilled forth and she couldn't take it back, "You know, not everything is a conspiracy, just because X got him involved, doesn't make him automatically guilty of anything."

"Stop," Robin held up a hand and Raven closed her mouth, but narrowed her eyes on her leader as his mask started to darken, suddenly a sick feeling over came the pit of her gut. Robin _knew, _he didn't have to say it … it was written all over his face … he _knew _**everything, **"Just stop it Raven … enough is enough … you could have just told me the truth."

"And then what? What would you have done if I told you everything right off the bat? If I told you I didn't want to leave with you … what would you have done, what would you have _**thought."**_ Raven immediately replied in a hurried whisper, afraid that her voice would start to crackle to match her crumbling world.

Robin was being too calm about this … he wasn't glaring at her, just staring … staring in disappointment? Maybe confusion? She didn't know! She wanted to know, she wanted him to be disappointed … angry … upset … but to just stand there and let it sink in. She wanted him to yell, she wanted him to grab her, throw her in a holding cell, demand that she tell him everything she knew about X, but, to see him just stand there passively, indifferently. It scared her; it felt like the end of something she had once worked _**so **_hard to build.

Only to feel it slip from her grasp … feel it brushing against her fingertips as it slid away faster and faster giving her not a chance of grabbing on and pull it back. She was losing … losing Robin … losing her ground … losing everything. Her life had always been an all-or-nothing gamble … but … she didn't know when it came down her friends and her heart … she didn't know it'll hurt this much.

She bowed her head in defeat as she felt Robin drift away from her, silent as the night, he left her standing still in the cold as he paused at the frame and glanced back to see her violet hair fall over to cover her defeat. His voice was soft, this time, "His real name is Street … his mother is Loe-Laina Marcolas-Street former assassin and daughter to the late Travis Marcolas infamous drug-lord. His father was Jonathan Street, FBI undercover agent sent in to take down Travis; he succeeded and married Loe-Laina, but was gunned down not 5 months into their marriage, Loe-Laina went into hiding … but her son picked up the slack and succeeded his mother's reputation. Even making very good friends with dangerous people, from Catwoman, to Brother Blood, he's associated himself with them all. So tell me … how much did you know about him before you started to take his side?"

Raven looked up and shook her head, "You don't know him."

Robin frowned, "And you do? Raven, I'm your friend, we've known each other for awhile … and you've only meet him at the most a **week **ago. I really don't get how you can be so torn over this." He sighed tiredly and ran his hands through his spiky hair as Raven gulped down the burning sensation in her throat. Robin glanced down at Raven and gestured with a jerk his head into the Tower, "Come on … it's late, I'll walk you to your room."

Silently, dejectedly Raven followed after him, training her eyes to the ground, making sure to keep her composure in check, taking discreet, slow deep breaths. The sorceress traveled side-by-side with her leader within the elevator, and down the halls to the Ops Room. That was when she received the call. Her communicator went off, Robin, out of habit checked his, but it was a privet line, only Raven's T-com, and oddly enough, it wasn't video, but phone where she had to put it to her ear.

She and Robin stopped in the Ops Room as she took the call, "Raven here, go ahead."

"… _It's me …"_

Her world flipped, her stomach lurched, and her heart stopped … for a split second everything blacked out and only the voice was heard. That familiar voice, she gulped and controlled her facial expression to only but a blink despite her thoughts reeking havoc on her vocal cords, preventing her from speaking properly. Raven had to take a moment to gather herself up, before she responded and despite the conversation she had with Robin … something told her not to reveal who was truly on the phone.

"Jinx? Why are you calling so late?"

Robin raised a curious brow, Raven watched his face, not too carefully, but she wanted to know if she threw him off the trail. Not yet, he was still suspicious, she had to be a little more convincing, and it was hard when X on the other side grumbled, _"Fuck, Robin's near you isn't he?"_

"No, I wasn't asleep anyway, what do you want?"

"… _Get away from him; I need to talk to you freely."_

Raven sighed and faked irritation, Robin was beginning to loose interest and the duo continued their walk towards her room, "You called me for that? Why can't you talk to Starfire?"

"_Jesus! Does he have that short of a lease on you, paranoid freak."_

"So … and …?"

"_Let me guess, he thinks something's up with you and me doesn't he?"_ it sounded like a joke, but damn it all, he struck gold.

"None of your business."

"… _Are you talking to me?"_

Raven glanced at Robin as they stopped at her door and Robin sighed with a shrug, "Let me guess, Jinx wants you to go shopping with her tomorrow?"

Raven played it off, "How'd you figure?"

"Besides wanting to know where Kid Flash is, that's the only reason Jinx would call you for a shopping partner … besides, you mentioned Starfire." Robin smirked handsomely as he leaned towards her; Raven instinctively moved back a little, but only a little with the phone still in her ear.

X hissed, _"You still there? What's going on?"_

Robin snatched the phone from Raven and spoke into it, never taking his eyes off Raven's suddenly panicked expression as he spoke into the receiver, "She'll call you back."

He was about to flip the phone off, but Raven reached for it, "Robin! Wait! No –"

The moment she leaned over him to grab the phone he moved from her reach, he slid his free hand over the side of her face and leaned down to smoothly capture a chaste kiss. Raven, so shocked, didn't move, didn't breath, couldn't even think straight, as her grip on the phone loosened, but not enough for her to drop it. It only a lasted a fraction of a second, but the moment he pulled away he took her breath with him as he turned his back and smirked at her over his shoulder, "There, now you have an excuse to give to Jinx to get you out of shopping tomorrow … I'll take you to a movie … night, Rae."

He was gone … leaving her standing in his wake completely dumbfounded.

Slowly … still trapped in vertigo, Raven gulped and leaned on her door as she brought the phone to her ear and asked in a detached tone, "… Hello?"

"… _Do I _want _to know what happened?"_ his tone was slow, and skeptical.

Raven shook her head, as if he'd see her, and once she remembered she was talking through the T-com phone she slid into her room and closed the door to lean on it from the inside. Closing her eyes, taking a deep breath and smoothing over her face with her free hand she slid to the floor of her room, unable to stay on her feet. Her brain still reeling from the fact that while she had X on the phone, Robin coming close to finding out when he took said phone from her, and even weirder, Robin _kissing _her while X was _still _on the phone.

Raven felt drained … too much, too fast, too soon, she sighed shakily and gulped, "Um … no … not really … but, uh, what did you want to know?"

"… _He's gone?"_

"… Yeah …"

"…"

"…"

Awkward silence, eagles flew in Raven's belly, did he know what had just transpired?

God she hoped not, she couldn't afford for her life to get even more complicated right now. She called to him, "X? You still there?"

"…" it took him amount to answer, but he did, _"Yeah … look, um, I just called to ask if you remember about the Red X incident not too long ago."_

Then it hit her, it all came back to her, why she risked going to Hawthorne in the first place! She jumped off the ground, her violet eyes narrowed as she glared at the ground, imagining it was X as she began to pace the room, "Of course I remember it! You nearly killed Starfire! What the hell was that all about!"

"_HEY! Don't take it out on me alright, I never did anything that night, I wasn't even in my suit!"_

Raven's glare darkened, "Then why didn't you come to me when I was at Hawthorne?"

"_So what? So you and your boyfriend can haul my ass down to prison? Hell no."_

Out of that whole sentence, the only thing that caught Raven's attention was the _'boyfriend'_ comment, "Boyfriend? What boyfriend? I went by myself!"

"_Bullshit!"_ Raven wasn't going to hide it, she jumped when he snapped harshly at her,_ "I saw the R-cycle, you went with Robin!"_

Taken back by his animosity she argued, "So you saw the bike and you immediately assume that I was with him!"

"_Weren't you!"_

"No! Just because he has the bike doesn't mean he's the only one who knows how to use it! I may not like the thing, but it's practical. Besides, what's your problem if he was with me or not, I just wanted some answers and you weren't there! So how the hell do you explain the coincidence of your absent and your arrival at Logan Science Lab." Raven snorted as she headed to her window to glare out at the city, but instead found herself glaring at her own reflection, willing it to morph into X's form as she heard him growl in frustration.

"_Someone's impersonating me! Using my own suit to set me up."_

Raven found her anger didn't allow for her to give in so easily, "Likely story, where you're concerned X, you better give me something better because I'm not going to put my ass on the line for you anymore."

He repeated her, _"Anymore? Who the fuck asked you to protect me anyway, that's your own goddamn fault if your boyfriend wants to kick you off your precious team, not mines."_

Raven gritted her teeth, "For the last, _**time, **_Robin is **not** my _boyfriend."_

He scoffed, _"Didn't sound like it from here. He kissed you didn't he?"_

Raven was quick to deny, but stopped and fumbled, he got her on the ropes, and for some strange reason or the other she suddenly felt guilty, "… It's not what you think."

"_Yeah," _he snorted, _"that's what I thought. Look, I just wanted to set the record straight, I didn't do anything that night. I may be a thief, but I'm not fucking stupid."_

"Ro – hello?" he hung up; Raven stifled a scream of frustration as she tossed the communicator to the side and walked to her book shelf. Leaning on it she bowed her head and pressed her forehead to one of the shelves and fisted her left hand to place it on one of her old books. Gently banging her head against the shelf she growled and muttered to herself, "I didn't do anything wrong! He's the damn criminal not me!"

Coincidences were a bitch.

Just as she said it the alarms went off, Raven glared at the red flashing light and wished she could just shoot it, red had just become her most hated color just under pink and before neon green. Seeing no time in changing her clothes Raven phased through the ground and came up in the Ops Room in time for Robin run passed her to the compute. He didn't even have to say anything for her to know who it was, but he did anyway for the sake of their other team mates.

Scowling Raven waited for him to say it, so say _**his**_ name, "Slade's cronies are robbing a bank, Titans! Move!"

Slade?

She honestly wasn't expecting that …

Raven's mouth cracked open in a suspicious gape as she stared at the screen; the other Titans rushing passed her in hurried urgency, Robin in tow. He stopped just a little behind her and called to her, "Raven …"

Raven blinked and looked back at him as he jerked his head to the door, "Let's go."

Easy for him to say, but somehow Raven found the power to move her legs and run along with him to the garage, the T-car's passenger side door was open and waiting for her. She went to it, but Raven grabbed her upper arm and pulled her to the bike, he got on and handed her an extra helmet. Raven took it skeptically, giving Robin a long hard look, he nodded to confirm her silent question and she shook her head, but put the helmet on.

Everything about this was so wrong … so wrong, but she slid in place behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist as he started the R-cycle and lead the way to Slade's robbery. Within the T-car, Beast Boy slid to the front and slammed the door shut for Cyborg to quickly catch up with Robin and Raven. Beast Boy scratched his head and voiced out what everyone else in the car was thinking, "Robin … packing Raven … and Raven out of uniform? Something's wrong with his picture."

Cautiously he glanced back at Starfire to find her staring out the window in patience … indifferent patience. Trying to ignore the fact that her best friend and leader were together, she crossed her arms over her chest and huffed tiredly. Beast Boy glanced at Cyborg and Cybrog shrugged his shoulders as if to let the subject drop for now. Beast Boy caught the hint and cleared his head for an upcoming Slade battle.

In a short time the Titans arrived at the held up bank to catch a few Slade-drones running out with bags of cash. Robin took the lead and popped a wheelie, forcing Raven to hold on even tighter as he ran down one of the drones with a vengeance. The drone held no chance, skidding to a stop; Robin pulled out three bird-a-rangs and flung each of them to the ground just in front of the bank. The weapons exploded and momentarily stalled the drones who saw nothing coming as the rest of the Titans pulled up and cleaned up the mess. Robin dismounted, and so did Raven both of them eagerly joining in on the battle, Robin hoping to get face to face with Slade.

Raven … on the other hand … as anxious.

Was X here?

Was he still working with Slade?

What did Slade want?

Was this just a diversion?

Questions raced through her mind as fast as Robin and X could push their bikes to the limit and none of them had any answers, so she threw to the back of her mind and took care of business, levitating in mid-air eyes glowing she chanted, _**"Azarath … Metrion … Zinthous!"**_

Grabbing a lamp post she swung it, and on cue her team cleared the way for her to knock out a few of their former opponents, wrapping the pole around them like rope she dropped them tied up and ready to go. Leaving room for her team to rush into the bank and take care of stragglers … Raven followed, but felt the linger signature of Slade's aura. Taking the chance she followed it into a dark alleyway. She stood at the mouth and her heart stopped a fraction of a second when she saw a shadow run down the alley and make a left turn.

The shadow must have been about the same height as X … but she couldn't be sure.

Hesitantly she flew down the alley after the shadow, arriving at the turn she looked left and found the man, too tall to be X standing in front of an impossible to climb brick wall. Raven glared, was it all really that simple? She called out to him, "Slade …"

He turned around and his mask mocked her with that one left eye of his, smirking under the dim light of the dark city, he straightened himself out and Raven felt him grin. She shuttered as his voice sent an eerie chill down her spine, "Ah, good evening little Raven … I trust you're doing well."

"Save it, what are you doing here."

"More direct than usual … seems like X left an impression on you … that boy always disappoints me, he has such greatness in him."

Raven was not liking where this was going, so she tried to discreetly reach for her communicator, only to stupidly realize that she had thrown it and left it somewhere in her room after that argument with X. She cursed herself for being so stupid! So she bluffed it, stalling until one of her friends got here, "Last time Slade what do you want."

"Money."

"…"

Too easy.

He chuckled, "Why so speechless? Feeling a little vulnerable without your communicator?" Raven's breath caught, he knew, and he mocked her still, "Don't panic, I'm not here for you … my interest was lost since X ran from the apartment I had been monitoring you in. He's very elusive … it's aggravating really."

_Huh … am I … am I hearing this right …? The apartment … that was where the Dago family came for X … Slade had no idea where we were then?_ Raven kept her face blank, just incase her theory was true … so she tried to coax more out of the madman, "So are you saying X is smarter than you?"

Slade stepped up to her, Raven planted her feet in the ground, determined not to give him the luxury of seeing her unnerved as he glowered at her, "No … but if I dare say he's worse than you vigilantes, he's a nascence with that conscious of his."

Raven glared, "So as soon as someone has the volition to choose their own path and go against the otherwise twisted poli-_tricks_ (a/n: politics, get it?) in this world, they become an outcast? That's ironic coming from the likes of you."

He stared at her … long and hard as if contemplating her words, and when he seemed to piece something together, the air about him honestly frightened Raven. He chuckled in amusement, "Well said child … if I didn't know any better I'd swear you were not only defending this thief … but … you admire his freedom. Why? Oh I can theorize that maybe it's because … you envy that freedom. You envy his courage to go against moral society, you envy his control to know what's right and what's wrong, but most of all you envy in him the fact that he can be criminal … without being a villain, because, let's face facts here my dear.

"You're a demon … if you suddenly decided to trade in your badge for a couple of stolen diamonds, you wouldn't be labeled as just a petty thief … you'd be seen as a threat … a monster with malicious intent. Isn't that why you were so quick to become a Titan? You wanted acceptance so bad, that you forced yourself to be a good girl in order to gain trust in the people around you, hoping that they can see through your demonic blood to love you for who you are. But, of course, this is all in theory … we both know that you have a good grip on reality, I'm a villain trying to manipulate your train of thought, you're the hero that'll fight to see to it that people like me don't ever see the light of day again."

"…"

He leaned into her ear and whispered chillingly, "That's reality … Raven … there is no shades of gray to that black and white print. Have a good evening …"

He left … Raven had no idea what had froze her in place during his entire break down of her otherwise chaotic mind. The sorceress shuttered, and spun around in search for the villain … but found nothing. He was really gone, not a trace whatsoever. Gone. Leaving her to doubt her abilities as a heroine, if she couldn't even fight against Slade's mental psych-out what good was she?

But at least the night wasn't all for naught … she knew one thing was certain.

Slade wasn't Slade the entire time she as with X at Hawthorne Garden Court.

Someone was playing puppet master …

And Raven didn't like them pulling her strings.

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans**

**a/n: **_**IMPORTANT:**_** Finals are coming up for me, so please be patient if I don't update as fast as I use to, it's just math is seriously kicking my ass and I'm so close to repeating the class that it's not even funny. So please excuse that major errors as well, like I said I got to get my school out of the way first so I don't feel pressured to keep up with the stories I write.**

**I love you all for your support and really appreciated all the reviews, I'll see what I can do to get the next chapter update, in the mean time, just like this one sink in.**

**L8er daez**


	16. The Shade of Hunches

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Hunches+**

"_I've got birds in my ears and a devil on my shoulder."_

_- Unknown_

"Shit …" clasping his fingers together over his head, leaning forward on his bike, X chanted the curse word over and over again as if the mantra would somehow magically turn back the hands of time to undo his immature actions just before he hung up on her. With the cell phone in his hand he sat up and stared at it … _Call her back … and then what? Say sorry? There's nothing to be sorry about!_ He scoffed and nearly threw the phone over the bridge connecting Jump to Steel just to hear the satisfying _splash_ in the dark waters. However, he held his breath and just sat still for a second, feeling the wind brush against him … smelling the fresh crisp night catching the hint of the approaching rain that would no doubt start up again.

It was the rainy season after all.

Tapping the phone against his bike, his X-bike, X sighed and looked down the road … just a few more miles and he'd be in Jump. Just a few more miles and he'd be able to see her, just to tell her that it wasn't him and he was telling the truth! Frustrated that she didn't believe him right off the bat, X knew he shouldn't have been surprised … and … he wasn't … it was the _other _thing that caught him off guard. Goddamn it! Why did he have to be so stupid!

He only said that Robin kissed her just to see how she'd react … just to press buttons and see what she said … he never actually thought it was true!

Then … he had the nerve to act as if he had any say in what happened to her life, it was her own life! He shouldn't care … but human beings were complicated, the truth of the matter was he cared; he cared more than he should. So much, in fact, that he was tempted to ride all the way to Titan Tower to beat the bah-jesus out of Robin. Lucky bastard. Raven didn't have to worry about being thrown into prison if she was with Robin, but with the likes of a thief, all of a sudden it was a damn capital crime committed against the state and resulted in a hanging.

It wasn't fair.

But life never was, X stuffed his cell phone back in his jacket pocket, leaned forward to grab the handle bars of his bike and revved it to life. Gunning the throttle he spun around and raced back to Trix Hill, there was no point in going to see Raven, no point at all. Coming off the bridge and heading into the city that he knew like the back of his hand X reached Trix Hill without a hitch. Although … as he pulled into the driveway he noticed all the lights in the house were on, he parked in front of the garage when Jamie and Otto came running out.

Frantic, panicked, and worried, X frowned, "Wasup?"

Jamie gulped, opened her mouth to explain, but a roar coming from the house ripped through the once silent night. It was Milo, X rushed passed the twins and jumped into the house, Otto following him right after, "Rob! Careful! He's been tearing up the house ever since you left."

"Have you tried to ask why?"

"No," Otto cringed when X stopped and another roar echoed through the hills, "Rob … this doesn't seem like a very good idea … maybe we should just leave and he'll just calm down."

X shot him a dry look, "He's destroying my house, something that I bought with clean money. Do you know how hard that shit is?" Slipping off his jacket he tossed it to Jamie, "Hold that, and wait right here, the both of you."

"Wha – Rob! You can't take Milo all by yourself."

"And you guys can't even point a gun in the right direction without shooting yourselves first."

Jamie scowled, "That was that one time! Rob – Rob! No!"

Too late he ran into the house towards the stairs where Milo was currently tearing apart the rest of the living space. Jamie ran after him, but Otto caught her around the waist and pulled her back, "Ah, ah, Jamie let Rob deal with it, he's right."

She glared at her brother devilishly, "About what? Me _accidentally_ shooting myself or him being the only one that can deal with Milo?"

"Both."

While she was busy slapping her brother to smack that impish smirk off his face suddenly X's jacket started to sing, but not just _any _song. It was the Teen Titans annoying jingle! Jamie dug into his pocket and pulled out the cell phone, just staring at it as if it was an alien device used for probing as it continued to sing. She looked up at Otto's equally bewildered expression and the both of them said at once, _**"Titan Tower?"**_

Jamie gasped in sudden realization, "Oh my god! Raven!"

She flipped it open and no doubt the Titan's voice came on, _"X! We need to talk!"_

"Oh! Raven! My girl! It's me Jamie."

"_Jamie? What are – ugh! Never mind put X on the line! Now!"_

"I'd love to sweetie, but X is a little busy right now, he's trying to control Milo."

"_Milo? Who's Milo?"_

"Some crazy non-human guy that's right now destroying X's house for god knows why."

"_Jamie, listen to me, I need to speak with X, right now, it's important."_

Jamie looked to her brother and Otto understood, taking off to go find X and Milo while leaving Jamie to try and settle Raven down. Running down the hall and up the spiral stairs he came to an abrupt stop when a chair came flying across his line of sight and smashing into the wall where his head would have been. Getting down and peeking around the corner just in time to see X rush up to the snarling Milo, pinning him to the far wall, but it wasn't for long.

Milo pulled a fast one and slashed his claws to rearrange his face, X leaned back, and kicked Milo in the chest before jumping away and gaining distance, "Milo! Loose the teeth and fangs or loose your head, choose one or I'll do it for you!"

"My name isn't Milo you impudent cur!" Milo snarled and crossed the room faster than X could react and had X on the ground claws sharp and ready to shred, until Otto literally jumped in and tackled Milo to the ground. They rolled and Otto ended up being pinned, Milo bared his fangs and as he jerked back to strike, he was suddenly racked with unbelievable pain with a shock fried his brain.

Otto breathed in relief when Milo threw himself off and held his head, withering in pain and holding his head. About to thank X for the help, the thief just stared at Milo with a confused frown, "He's been doing that … saying his name isn't Milo and holding his head every ten seconds before he starts up again."

"Maybe he's a werewolf," Otto growled in frustration still trying to shake the fact he was facing the human shredder, he gulped and sneered at X, "it's a full moon tonight isn't it?"

"Hell if I know," X sighed tiredly, "it's still cloudy … and he's not a damn werewolf, those things don't exist."

"Vampires do."

X shot him a dry look.

Otto shrugged, "What, you can ask Batman, he faced Dracula once …"

The thief shook his head and snorted, "Man whatever, just get out of here before Milo starts again."

"Yeah … about that …" Otto smoothed back his hair, "Raven's on the phone."

As X was moving to lean on a piece of broken furniture, he missed altogether at the mention of Raven's name and fell to the ground. Otto stared at him with a raised brow, never had he seen the sly thief so clumsy and trying to be smooth about it, X shot back up and straightened out his shirt. Pointing to the spaced out beast he commanded seriously, "Watch him."

Before Otto even knew what he as agreeing to he nodded, then mentally slapped himself as he found himself standing in the same room as a crazy monster. He gulped and backed up when Milo's crimson eyes glared at him tiredly, the human chuckled nervously and waved his hand, "Hi?"

Milo growled in annoyance, "… Why does my head hurt …?"

"Maybe Rob knocked you around a few times."

Milo blinked … then blinked again and looked around and frowned, "Doesn't explain why the room is in shambles."

Otto frowned and dared to walk up to him, sitting on the ground with him he looked him dead in the eye and asked, "You don't remember what had happened?"

"… Not entirely … I didn't hurt anyone … did I?"

"No … just lost all sense of reality for a moment … kept scream that Milo wasn't your name … is it?"

"…" he looked away, and scowled, "That information is best left unknown."

"Right … do you have any idea what might have set you off?"

"No," Milo answered almost too quickly and got to his feet, only to stumble a bit and nearly fall flat on his rear if he wasn't so quick to correct himself, Otto helped and Milo couldn't help but feel as if a bee had stung his side. Shaking it off as nothing he staggered away, leaving the human to shake his head. It didn't take a genius to figure out Milo was hiding something.

Meanwhile, downstairs, X rushed up to Jamie who was sitting on the floor – everything else was destroyed – her back against the wall with his phone to her ear and smiling, "Yeah! It's that place … don't worry he'll understand, just be sure your team is cool with it okay don't want Robin going off on you because you lied again. Ooo, he's here … hold on …" Jamie got up and handed a suspicious X the phone with a wide bright smile. Once again as bubbly as ever, "It's for you."

X took the phone, stared at it for a moment then shot Jamie a shooing look, she got the message and left to find her brother, X took a deep breath and sighed, leaned on the same wall Jamie was on and closed his eyes, "Raven?"

"… _You're right … it wasn't you that night …"_

He was relieved, but a bit irritated that this call was all about business … but this was Raven. Why else would she call? She was with Robin now, no reason to call him for anything else, so he stuck to business, "Told you … it's gotta be –"

"_Slade isn't behind it either …"_ Raven interrupted and X heard her sigh.

He frowned in confusion, "If not him then who?"

"_I don't know … but it has to be someone with a grudge against you …"_

"But if they're after you too, then it has to be someone that doesn't like you either."

"…" she sighed again, he heard her shuffle and thought he heard her fall on her bed; he leaned his back on the wall and stared up at the ceiling just waiting for her to say something, anything.

She didn't.

He couldn't help himself, "You gonna be alright?"

"_Depends …"_

"On what?"

"… _If who ever is after you, is the same person who's after me and not my friends, than we'll know once I get there …"_

X pushed off the wall and glared at the ground, a sinking feeling in the pit of his gut came on strong, "Get where?"

"_Jamie told me the location to Trix Hill … I'll be there by tomorrow morning … or later this afternoon, it's already 2:34 am."_

"No."

He could feel her perplexity in his sudden order.

"_What do you mean no?"_

"You're not coming out here. You're safer over there; it's no good if we're a pair, it'll make us all an easy target."

"_Well I refuse to keep my friends in danger."_

"They won't be as long as you let me handle it."

"_Are you trying to say that I can't?"_

"No, I'm trying to keep you alive," X began to pace, never noticing that Jamie, Otto, and Milo were all hiding in the hall listening to the conversation, Milo having the upper hand in hearing both sides of the argument because of his enhanced senses, "Stop thinking like a hero for one goddamn minute and try to understand that this isn't your problem to deal with. It's mines."

"_Well I appreciate your concern, but unfortunately I am still a Titan and I can't help it if it's my damn job to keep idiots like you alive and well, and since when has this become only your problem! Whoever's behind this nearly killed one of my friends and I'm not going to sit here and allow that to happen."_

"Damn it Raven! Stop it!"

"_You stop it! You're not making any – " _she cut herself off and huffed and X could just see her shaking her head, _"… I'm coming over, whether you like it or not. See you in a few hours."_

X gritted his teeth, "You come over here, and then what? _**I **_don't even have a plan and that's saying something!"

"_We'll figure something out together. Bye."_

She hung up, and once again X had to fight the urge to mangle his cell phone out of sheer frustration. Gods! She was just so hard to work with! Stubborn and independent, why did he have to attract the hard headed ones on occasion? X flipped his phone shut and put it in his back pocket, _Screw it! She wants to tag along, fine … because of her friends. Always have to put other's before yourself don't you angel …_ he looked around at the mess in the house and sneered, "Milo better have a good reason for this mess."

Milo decided now was a good a time as any to reveal himself, "Would you forgive me if I said sorry?"

X spun on his heel and glared at the smug crimson-eyed beast, "How long have you been standing there."

"Long enough to figure that my stay here is not welcome anymore," Milo looked around to absorb his damage as he tried to smooth up his disheveled appearance. Pulling his black hair back and into a ponytail, dusting off wrinkles here and there, he looked up at the thief who gave him a pointed look.

"Who says I'm kicking you out? There are at least 16 bedrooms here … that's three master suites, and 5 bathrooms … I'm pretty sure I can just lock you in one wing … assuming you haven't touched the rest of the house."

Milo tilted his head, "Why would you have me stay?"

X stepped up his glare darkening as he held Milo in place with his serious onyx eyes, "Because you know Raven somehow … and I want to know how and why she's so important to you."

"…" teeth flashed, Milo sneered, "Are you trying to implicate that I have something to do with your impersonator?"

The thief scoffed, "Funny … I only remember telling two people that I was being impersonated, and Otto's not the type to run his mouth like Jamie, and unless Raven has a direct line to you … is there something I should know about you? _'Milo'?"_

Milo's sneer slowly vanished as a calculating look replaced it with a deadly smirk; he chuckled and brought a clawed hand up to tap his chin in mock thought, then just shrugged nonchalantly. Not saying a single word as he walked off into the house somewhere to be alone. Leaving the three humans standing in his wake, X glanced at Otto and asked, "Did you …"

Otto nodded, "He was so wasted he didn't even notice."

"Good," X sighed and lifted up a piece of wood and tossed it into a random pile of trash, "now … let's clean this up …"

**((--Titan Tower--))**

**((--Raven's Room--))**

Throwing what she could carry into a black backpack Raven took a deep breath and zipped it up; slugging it over her shoulder and left her room. Walking down the hall into the Ops Room where she knew her teammates were still lurking about discussing their encounter with the Slade cronies. Not the actual Slade, like she herself confronted, she never told them about that just yet. It wasn't important … plus … she wanted this meeting to go over smoothly without Robin being mad at her for letting the man go.

She stopped just before she entered the Ops Room and stared at the door with a reluctant frown, _Robin … I'm sorry … _she thought sadly, licking lips she walked into the room. There she saw Cyborg brewing a batch of hot chocolate, already the feeling of having to pull an all-nighter hanging over their heads because of Robin's known obsession. Raven couldn't help to smirk and shake her head at the typical setting, however cleared her throat and joined her team, immediately the mood changed as if someone had just flipped the light switch.

Starfire floated over everyone to hover over Raven staring at her curiously, Cyborg blinked and raised a concerned brow, while Robin in the back kept a straight face. Raven tried not to focus her attention too much on him and stared at Cyborg as he shrugged, "Goin' somewhere, Rae?"

Raven took a deep breath and nodded, "That Red X incident … it … it wasn't X that did it, I'm sure of it … and … I think … I think Xander's in trouble, so I'm going to go help him. I don't want you guys to come with me, because … whoever's after Xander, is after me as well …"

"Then you should stay here," Robin spoke up before Starfire had a chance to go off on her justice parade. His mask stared at her pinning her in place, relentless and unnerving, Raven tried not to see him as the Robin that kissed her in the hall, but more as her leader. As it should be. He was her leader. Her _**leader.**_ Yet … no matter how hard she thought it, how hard she tried to forget … she still felt guilty. Guilty in away a girlfriend would when she told her boyfriend she was leaving him because there was someone else.

Raven gritted her teeth and shook her head mentally, _It's not like that! It's a job … just a job … just a … just a job … _she could have wrote it on paper over and over and over again until the ink of her pen wore off, but it still didn't change the guilt that was tearing her heart in two. Chewing on her lower lip she sighed and blinked away the watery blur in her eyes, straightening herself out she opened her mouth and argued her case, "I know … I thought it through Robin … believe me, I did … but … I just think … it's better if I do this alone."

Starfire planted her feet on the ground, giving her friend a serious look, "Friend Raven … I … do not understand, do you not trust us to help with this investigation of yours?"

Raven opened her mouth to say something, but Robin beat her to the punch … and the anger she wanted to see and hear from him flooded out, "Of course she wouldn't because than she'd be incriminating herself and exposing a real bastard for who he really is You know, Raven, if you wanted to drop being a Titan all together, you can just say so and be gone, spare yourself the trouble of painting yourself up to be a true figure of authority."

Raven narrowed her eyes, what he had just said, was uncalled for, "I'm not trying to do anything except do my job … a real killer impersonating himself to be Red X is out there and –"

"Oh, like Street isn't already a killer."

"Robin, just …" Raven swallowed hard and took another deep breath to calm herself down, shaking her head she headed for the garage, but stopped and turned to face her unsure – confused – friends, particularly setting her gaze on the glaring Robin. Once more, she pleaded, "… I'm asking you to trust me … that's it … you know me better than even my own mother … do you really think I'd stab your back? I'm sorry, if that's what you want to hear, I'm sorry I'm not the hero you all are … but I'm not going to let this go. I'll be back … if you even care to know."

With that she turned her back and left, Beast Boy blinked and scratched his head, "Am I … am I thinking this right …? Did Raven just –"

"Yes." Robin scowled.

"And she's going –"

"Yes."

"So … Xander is …"

"Yes, Beast Boy," Robin growled, "Raven left, she's going to Xander, who is … Red X …"

Cyborg crossed his arms over his chest and frowned, "Are you sure we should just be letting her go like that?"

"…" Robin snorted, "It's her life, she can do what she wants … but she's still associated with X, I want Bumble Bee monitoring Raven when she arrives at Steel City, when her _'case' _is done and over with. I want Xander in cuffs and Raven under close supervision until she returns to Jump City where she'll be tried and brought to a Grand Jury."

Starfire gulped and frowned, "Robin … are you sure you want to do that … to … Friend Raven …? I'm sure she means no harm, I mean …"

"Maybe, Star," Robin said stiffly, "but it's the law."

"Uh …" Beast Boy uttered, "I'm gonna ask a stupid question here, but … if Raven's gonna go to Steel, how's she gonna get there. As far as I know, she doesn't have a car."

Cyborg sighed, "Actually, she does, she just doesn't trust you around it."

"Whoa! For real! Raven's got wheels? I didn't even know she could drive! Wait! What kind of car she got?"

His cybernetic friend rolled his eyes and said in a quiet tone, hoping Beast Boy didn't pick it up, however, true to his name, Beast Boy did hear it, "Ashton Martain Vanquish S V12 …"

"What!" Beast Boy nearly fell over himself – which wouldn't have been the first time – bug eyed he shook his head trying to make sure he heard right, "Wh-where could she afford that!"

"It was gift from the company itself," Cyborg shrugged, "As a thank you present from the president when Raven unknowingly saved him from becoming swish cheese sometime in the past."

"Man … that sucks … A Vanquish …? What color is it?"

"Black," Cyborg shook his head and glared at the little green dude, "What has this got to do with Raven leaving for X!"

Beast Boy shrugged, "Nothing, it's just … it's _Raven,_ she doesn't know how to appreciate those kinds of presents."

"Oh … you'd be surprised."

**((--))**

Raven shot out of the hidden tunnel that led from Titan Tower into Jump City, stomping on the clutch and shifting gears she roared down the streets in the lap of luxury. Contrary to popular belief, Raven wasn't that shy from fast machines, she just didn't like being a passenger. She trusted her own driving and as her speedometer hit 103mph, everything outside of her dark mirror tinted windows blurred passed her in seconds. Clutching the wheel so tightly her knuckles turned white, glaring at the streets in front of her, Raven was determined to race away her problems.

Once again shifting gears to go faster, she gritted her teeth and tried to forget about Robin. She had to do this … she had to … there was no other way. It may have seemed very incriminating on her part, but, damnit! She didn't know anything anymore. She blamed X for doing this to her, turning her into an irrational – _reckless _– wreck. Coming up to a turn, she popped the clutch, and drifted around the corner flawlessly, picking up speed again once she reached the long stretch.

Still thinking to herself how messed up her life had become, trying to prioritize everything so it all made sense … trying to think of who could want both her and X dead … who. Who is the one person that could know about her and X and harbor malicious thoughts about them? It had to be someone both her and X knew … she could mark off Jamie and Otto … it couldn't have been Leon … X's mother? No, she was a woman that seemed too caught up in her own self pity to care about extracting them … besides, what would the motive be? It was no one on her team she knew that for _damn _sure.

It wasn't Slade …

He didn't even know her whereabouts that one night X ran to Hawthorne.

It wasn't Marisa … she may have been a witch, she may have been with X at one point, blackmailed him, but she was rich and that was an excuse. Rich people don't like not getting their way, so they threw tantrums … X could have threatened to leave her and that was why she did what she did. Granted it's not forgivable, but she didn't have anything to do with anything … at least … that was Raven's theory.

Red streaked across her sights.

"Shit!" Raven stomped on her brake and skidded to a stop when X blades planted on the ground exploded, she got down just incase her windows were blown open, but other than that she was fine. Her car came to a complete stop on time … getting out she looked around trying to sense where the attack came from and closed her door shut. Stepping away from the car she looked around the empty streets, up on top of the empty rooftops, and within the hidden shadows of the dark night.

Nothing …

She sensed nothing …

Chewing on her lower lip she frowned and carefully reached for her car door handle … opening it and sliding in, she sat still for a moment and stared through the window. Bewildered, she blinked and shook her head, _It's not X … but who is it? _Getting her car started, out of habit she glanced to her passenger side and wasn't given the chance to scream before something had hit her hard on the side of her head. Bouncing it against the side glass and cracking it … blood smeared … and she was nearly out cold, but for her attacker's sake she faked it and stayed perfectly still.

The voice hidden behind a distorter snorted, "Titan my ass, little bitch … and to think, that was just a warning. I actually feel guilty cheating the dude out of his money …"

Raven felt her – yes, it was female, she can tell by the tone. Unless her attacker was gay, but she hardly knew any gay men that wanted her dead … so it had to be a female. Something was thrown on her lap, and Raven tried hard not to twitch as her attacker got out of the car and slammed her door shut, then to add insult to literal injury. The bitch keyed her car! Raven heard the sound of metal against metal and a growl bubbled up from her chest, cracking her eyes open she looked around and noticed the girl wasn't around anymore.

The sorceress scowled and looked at her lap … an envelope? Blank … it said nothing … but there was something inside. Opening it she pulled out a fold piece of paper with perfect calligraphic handwriting, beautifully intricate, but the funny thing was … it said nothing else, but a name.

_Milo Arch_

Raven glared at the paper and turned it over, trying to see if there was anything else to the message … there wasn't, _Milo Arch …? So … and …? _Lost, Raven put the paper on the passenger seat and frowned, glaring at the paper still she gritted her teeth and tilted her head, _Milo Arch … Milo … doesn't X have a friend named Milo …? _Keeping the message, she hissed when her head pulsed, reaching up a hand to where she was bleeding, she saw her demonic claws and knew she'd be healed up before she reached Trix Hill.

There … if this _'Milo Arch' _was there, she could question and see what the bigger picture was about.

**((--Trix Hill--))**

**((--That Afternoon--))**

"Ow!" Jamie whined as the glass she was picking up cut her ever so slightly, she cursed a few times then angrily threw her work down and stormed into the den where X and Otto were sweeping up the floor. She stood akimbo and glared at X, the thief raised a brow as she huffed, "Why can't you just hire guys to come in here and clean up the mess, you're rich enough!"

X rolled his eyes, "Jamie, I have the X bike parked in my garage, a studio down in the basement where I keep up with my job, plus an unstable psychopath locked in a hall not to far from us … do you really think it's a smart idea to allow outsides into this madhouse?"

Jamie pouted, looked at her finger than showed it to X, "But I cut myself …"

X smoothed his face over with his hand and glared at Otto, then pointed at his sister, "Take care of her. Now!"

Otto scowled and walked to his sister, grabbing her upper arm and dragging her out of the room. Leaving X alone to finish the job and while he was finishing it up, the silence allowed for him to pick up the familiar roar of a sports car pulling up at his driveway. Stopping and leaning on the broom, he stared at the opened door and sighed, as he glanced at the still working clock, _Gotta be Raven … _he thought with a frown, dragging the broom and walked to the door. Looking out he watched a black Ashton Martian Vanquish pulling up, he blinked, _Not Raven … no way …_

He was proven wrong as the car stopped, parked, door opened, and the violet haired demoness/sorceress stepped out, the gloomy afternoon doing wonders to her otherwise otherworldly beauty. She slung her backpack on her shoulder and closed her door, locking her car she looked at the nice house covered with plants of various sorts and stood still as X leaned on her frame and stared at her. Raven cleared her throat and walked up to him, noticing the broom he was holding, "Spring cleaning?"

"Drag racing?"

"Of course not, I have a clean record."

"So she thinks," he scoffed and allowed her inside, but frowned when he noticed an obvious blood stain on her leather jacket, he grabbed her arm and pulled her back, she looked up at him then down at the stain and sighed with a roll of her eyes.

"I ran into trouble on my way … it's nothing …" He ignored the statement and tilted her head, running his hands through her hair; the dark violet color hid the blood that he felt on his fingers, Raven pulled away and looked him dead in the eye, to reassure him, "It's nothing …"

X gruffly sighed heavily and lead her into the destroyed house, "Do you ever listen to anything anyone tells you for your own good?"

"If I did, I'd be stuck behind silver bars condemned for being a half-bred demon," Raven replied dryly and looked around trying to see where Milo, Jamie, or even Otto went. Neither were in sight. So she asked, "Where's –"

"I told Otto to make Jamie disappear and Milo's locked in a safe room to keep him from destroying the rest of my house," he answered before she asked, Raven narrowed her eyes in annoyance, he shrugged.

Raven nodded and pulled out the envelope, tapping it on her hand, she notice X eyed it cautiously, and his suspicion grew as she waved it in front of him and asked, "Where is Milo? I need to speak with him."

"You act like you know him …"

"I don't … but apparently he has something to do with our problem."

Raven expected him to look shocked, but he only shook his head and muttered as he threw the broom to the ground and marched in the direction of Milo's _'safe room'_, "Lying son of a bitch, I'll kill'em."

Raven prayed he didn't mean that and followed him.

"X," Raven reached out to grab his arm and pull him back, just to stop him and make sure he had his head on straight; Milo was no use to her unconscious if the thief decided to use him as a punch bag. He stared down at her with a cold look, Raven didn't flinch, just let her hand slip off of him, "don't do anything drastic until we're done questioning him … alright?"

He knew what she meant … he just didn't like the way she said it.

With a shrug he continued down the hall until he reached the end, this is where he stood directly in front of the wall. Took three steps back, one step to his right and with his left heel pressed down on the hidden button where the wall hissed and separated. Raven raised a brow, _Where does he get the funding for all … wait … stupid question … _she ignored herself when a vault was exposed and X walked to the steel plated four prong locked, air-tight door with a DNA pad, encrypted code pad lock, and the classic giant wheel to manually unlock the four prong locks. Raven blinked and crossed her arms over her chest, "This is a safe room?"

"Safest room in the whole entire house," he grunted as he spun the wheel, _thonk, _one lock was undone, "but that's only, because," he spun the wheel again, _thonk, _"it's an interrogation chamber," _thonk!_

Raven tilted her head, "Interrogation? Who do you have to interrogate? I thought you said you don't do kidnapping?"

He stopped to look over his shoulder at her with a devious smirk, "I never kidnap anyone, I invite them to my pad, then lock'em in the vault to extract the information that I need."

"And that would be?"

"Exactly what I need to know for me to do my job," _thonk, _the last lock gave way and the door opened, to reveal Milo's back as he stared at the one way mirror/window no doubt leading to a control room, other than him. The entire room was empty save for a very uncomfortable chair and heavy steel table bolted to the ground. Milo looked over his shoulder with a fanged grin and glowing crimson eyes.

"Ah, Trix, timeout over already?"

X scowled, "You lying, bastard!"

He lunged at snickering beast, but Raven grabbed him around the waist and held him back, pushing him against the vault, she held him there with a hand on his chest. Her violet eyes glared at him, her voice low and threatening with a hint of a few fangs dropping down, "Not now."

Then …

Chuckling … Milo spoke, Raven froze when she felt him suddenly behind her, X looked up and gritted his teeth when Milo's eyes locked on his, but his lips came close to the edge of Raven's ear. Bringing a clawed hand to remove a clutch of hair from her ear, he whispered, purposefully breathing down her neck … and Raven nearly choked on air itself when her breath caught, "Nice to see you again my _sweet_ Raven."

It hit her like a brick wall.

_Milo Arch_

"Malchior …"

Her hand on X's chest lost its hold and before she knew what happened, she was stumbling to the side trying to find her footing as a scuffle broke out between X and Milo. X laid a nice punch smack in Milo's jaw, the dragon hit the wall behind him and X grabbed a handful of his shirt. Milo lengthened his claws and took a swing, X ducked down and shot right back up with a kick to his chin, which Milo blocked, grabbed his ankle and flung him down the hall.

It was then, that Raven finally got her head on straight, X had gotten to his feet about ready to run Milo down, but Raven flew in his way and slammed into, trying to stop him. Tackling them both into the ground, she held him down and with a face still lost and slightly shaken she stared down at X who glared at her, "Raven … get off, now."

"… No," she answered breathless, and looked over her shoulder to Milo … or … Malchior who winked and leaned against the wall. Her face turned beet red, unable to hold his piercing gaze she closed her eyes and turned to look back down at X. Her grip on his shoulders shaking, she shook her head and willed the past to the back of her mind, "fighting's not getting us anywhere, we need answers, and we can't get that if you decide to knock his brain loose."

"…" his glare darkened, "… What did he do to you?"

"… Nothing …" Raven whispered and carefully got to her feet holding out her hand to help him up, he sat up, but stared at her, Raven knew he wasn't going to take it and pulled away. Smoothing back her violet hair she gulped down the urge to scream in frustration as she whispered so low X almost didn't catch, but she blamed herself, "… it was all my fault."

Unable to stand in the presences of both the thief and the dragon, Raven marched into one of the random rooms and slammed the door shut, leaving X to get up all on his own. Glaring at Malchior, the beast's crimson eyes sparkled in amusement as he pointed into the vault, "Back in the room, eh? Alright then …"

X had the undeniable craving to do as Raven suggest he shouldn't, knock his brain right out of his skull … the bastard was even more so cocky than he was … why … if he – X stopped his seething when a thought struck him. Something Marisa had said: _" … Malchior, he can be the wolf in sheep's clothing and is smart enough to fool a Titan into thinking he's like their best friend or something. Trust me, he's not the kind of enemy neither of us wants in this time of year …"_ X blinked and scrutinized the dragon; _This is the same Malchior … _suspicious, X snorted and shook his head, deciding to deal with the dragon later. He scoffed and smoothed back his hair then followed after Raven … she was a bit more important to him now a days, even though he didn't know it yet …

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans**

**A/N: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! SCHOOOOOOOL OOOOOUUUTTTTT! YAH! I feel like bouncing off the walls right now, finals are done and over with and I'm as free as a bird. SUMMER TIME! Party time, wooo hooo!**

**L8er daez**


	17. The Shade of Warning

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Warning+**

"_You can't buy love … although many have tried …"_

_- Chris D._

X reached for the door knob and turned, but _tsk_ when it was locked, so being as polite as his short temper was allowing he knocked on the door, however, in the process he began to pick the lock silently, "Raven … let me in, I need to talk to you."

"_I need a moment," _she responded breathlessly.

He rolled his eyes and once he heard the click of the jimmied door, he slowly turned the knob and cracked it open, peering around for Raven, he opened it wider and found her sitting on his bed staring out the cracked window. Cracked because it was the room Milo and him got into their first confrontation and Milo slammed him against the window wall. X still remembered the headache he got afterwards as he slipped in silently. Closing the door with a purposefully _click_ she stiffened and stood straight up and stared at him with watery violet eyes. She wasn't crying … but she looked like she was coming to it.

Narrowing her eyes she huffed, "I said I needed a moment."

X leaned against the door and crossed his arms over his chest giving her a dry look, "Well I don't have a moment … my patience is just about fizzled with Milo … he destroys my house, steals my suit, and to top it off … he knows you … now how can that be I wonder?"

Raven scoffed and rolled her eyes, turning away from him she shook her head, "Please, I don't need the jealous act right now … I'm getting it enough from Robin as it is, I don't need it from you."

"Oh … this isn't jealousy," despite saying it aloud, X still felt like grinding his teeth as he pushed off the door and crossed the room slowly while Raven looked over her shoulder with that ice cold glare. Warning him to back off … but she knew she should know better … X never backs off, "trust me precious, I don't get jealous …"

"Right …" Raven frowned and finished off his statement, remembering the scowl he had on his face as the same in that department store back at the strip in Steel City, "… you get what you want."

He shrugged nonchalantly, "Now that we have that out of the way … mind telling me how you know Milo?"

Raven scoffed and looked off to the side when he stood right in front of her no more than two feet away, and no less, "His names Malchior."

"So I figured, but how do you _**know**_ him … care to elaborate?"

The sorceress glared at him skeptically, "Why are you interrogating me? I did nothing wrong here."

"Maybe not, but you're back on the team … meaning I can't trust you."

A look of utter disbelief and insult crossed her face as she backed up, but the back of her leg ran into the bed, she didn't flinch, but her ice-stare grew colder and the room temperatures dropped significantly, "You're a real bastard you know that. If I wanted to sell you out I would have done so already."

His obsidian eyes darkened, as he condescended to her level and mocked her, "Oh I wouldn't put it passed you, I bet your boyfriend dug every last detail of your stay with me right out of your mouth … literally if you catch my drift."

She raised her arm, cocked it back and bit down on her lower lip prepared to leave a serious red hand print on the side of his face, but he was faster. He grabbed her wrist and knocked her off balance, throwing her on the bed and trapping her under him, making sure she wasn't able to move. Raven instinctively tried to contort her body to loosen her foot and kick him off, but apparently she forgot who she was dealing with because X subdued her like a pro … which … she bet he was. Grunting in discomfort she flashed her eyes white and warned him once, "Get off me."

"Why?" he teased with that trademark smirk on his coy face his grey eyes caught the right angle of the light causing it to sparkle silver with flecks of sapphire blue that Raven had never saw before … but it made him seem more playful, "Don't like to hear the truth? If you don't mind my asking, how far did the two of you go after I hung up on you?"

"You sick pervert!" Raven felt her magic building up, but for some odd reason or the other she couldn't bring herself to use it, "I lost my title as a Titan because I came here to help you! I'm going to be standing trial for obstruction of justice and for being an asset to your escapades! How's that for going far!"

He reared his head back and raised a brow then shook his head in disbelief, "Why would you do something so stupid! I let you go back to your team so you wouldn't have to suffer because of me damn it!"

Raven closed her eyes and looked away, wanting to hide her face when she felt her cheeks flushing red, "Gods … please, X … please tell me you didn't grow a conscience."

"I didn't," he let go of one of her wrists, but only to hook her chin and turned her back up to look at him, she did and she looked tired, inching down to hover only a few centimeters above her face he managed a humorous smirk and a light chuckle, "you grew on me."

Silver and flaky sapphire blue eyes should be a damn crime.

Raven brought her free hand to his shoulder to stop him, but ended up grabbing a fist full of his shirt when he massaged his lips against hers sending waves of electricity flowing through out her body. The crack in his window created a giant spider-web as her powers nearly shattered it. Gripping onto his shirt till her knuckles turned white kept her feet well enough on the ground to control her powers as he deepened such a forbidden sensation. Relaxing both their postures, Raven couldn't help to sigh when he gave her the freedom to move while he rested comfortable on top of her.

Massaging her mouth open with his parted lips, he didn't know whether to be amused or shocked at her eagerness to participate in the ultimate foreplay. He felt one of her hands running up from his belt over his abs, up his chest around his shoulders to weave through his hair pulling him closer. Quite taken back that she wasn't as shy as he thought she was, he wanted to see just how far she'd go before she thought enough was enough. He felt her up with no shame groping and purposefully fluttering ever so close to sensitive areas just to get her to squirm. Even going so far as to trail a hand from her knee up her inner thigh, painfully slowly … and just as he was close enough to tickle her center, he pulled away to place his hand on the small of her back.

Raven reacted on touch alone, pulling away from the kiss to arch her body into his a low growl of frustration rose in her throat, but she swallowed it down and clung to X as he continued to drive her literally insane. Her eyes were blinking back and forth from violet to white to scarlet then back, until her sanity called her back and made her realize just what was going on. Being hazy through out the entire time she was gasping for air and staring wide-eyed at the ceiling. X had shrugged off her leather jacket and yanked off her belt, her tang-top was pushed high enough only to expose her midriff and her button was undone.

He looked up at her with that dangerous grin and pounced; Raven gasped, but was silenced when he crushed his lips against hers. Her already red face turning even redder, finally feeling just how far she had let this go on, pressed so close against him the only thing to stop them were their bothersome clothes … which he was just on his way to relieving her of such articles. Raven sat up, forcing X to crawl off and away when she put her hands on his shoulders and gently pushed him off her.

Both of them trying to catch their breath and Raven trying so hard to get his taste out of her mind and that burning ache in the pit of her gut, she pulled down her tang-top while X smoothed back his ruffled hair and smirked. Raven forced herself to look away; already feeling embarrassed to have reacted so eagerly, she gulped and carefully got to her feet. Reaching down on the bed for her jacket, she paused and looked around noticing that it was on the floor, she once again tried to hide her blush.

She bent over to pick it up and once she stood back up, X was wrapped around her waist and kissing her neck, breathing on her skin, doing anything and everything to have her attention all to himself again. Even zipping up the zipper of her pants slowly and fastening the button. "You know … you look so cute when you blush."

Raven gritted her teeth, _'cute' _was pushing it and she tried to move from him, but he held her in place, the sorceress scoffed, "I'm sure you say that to all your girlfriends."

He chuckled and whispered, "And I'm sure as hell none of them were as stubborn as you are. Let me ask you something … are you _always_ this defiant?"

"… If I wasn't than Malchior would have had an easier time ruling the world."

X snorted and rested his chin on her shoulder, "Speaking of the lizard … you still hadn't told me how you know him."

Raven sighed and couldn't help to lean against him, feeling as snug as a bug in a rug when he let her, "… I had the book he was trapped in … I set him free … didn't know how much of an ass he was until I had to put him back in."

"Trapped in a book?"

"Yeah."

"That's not what Marisa told me."

"What did she tell you?"

"She told me Rorek _'defeated'_ the dragon," Raven pulled away from him and turned to give him the same look he had on his own face, confusion.

She shook her head, "No … Rorek couldn't turn water to wine even if he tried … he was low-level sorcerer looking to make a name for himself, back in those times slaying a dragon was a big deal … but all he could manage to do was seal Malchior into a book for all time. Marisa should know this because its in her families history, Rorek's brother was the one who documented all of his pass events."

"Then how did the book end up in your hands?"

Raven scrutinized the thief, "… X … The Van'Gareths were falling out of money so they had to sell most of their assets in order to stay on the map … apparently they got careless and sold the book as well."

"To you?"

"No, to some University in Jump City that I saved on occasion, they didn't know how else to thank me, so they gave me the book as a present."

X's face fell as he scoffed, "A book? For a present? How cheap can they get?"

Raven frowned at his comment, "Its not the present itself that matters, it's the thought."

"Must have not been very thoughtful," X muttered, and Raven shook her head, but it was now his turn to frown when something struck him, "The Van'Gareths were having money problems?"

"Yes …" Raven tilted her head, "You didn't know?"

He opened his mouth then shook his head slowly, "Surprisingly … enough … no … when did this happen?"

"Well … the Malchior Incident happened about a year ago … so … I'd say that's about the same time there was a money fallout with Marisa's family. I thought you knew all this already?"

"Nope … but isn't it such a coincidence that about a year ago since Marisa tried to blackmail me into marrying her, Leon had already announced the final terms of my inheritance. I'd get everything following his death or … if I were get married legitimately. However, if I had a child born or conceived out of wed-lock I'd loose everything. Honestly, I could careless, but … I had to think of Lola, she deserves better."

The gears were ticking, and Raven was not liking where this was headed, "X … do you remember discussing a prenup with her? Because if she didn't want one than following the events of your death or a divorcé, depending on if you were to get married here in Steel City, it'll mean she'd be entitled to half, if not all of your assets."

X sneered, "I always knew she was after something … I just didn't think it was money considering her family is well off."

Raven huffed, "X, that's not the point … she's connected with Malchior, she has a grudge against you for sneaking your way out of her deal, she knows the Dagos, _and _I'm a Titan that she probably thinks you're working with to get back at her."

"_Or,"_ he grinned and hooked her chin, bring her up so he could kiss her, Raven blinked when he whispered, "she could just be jealous of you."

"… That's shallow," Raven looked away and frowned, muttering she walked around X briskly headed for the door, "… we really have to talk to Malchior."

X had no objections; he followed her out into the hall towards the vault that Malchior was supposed to be inside – which was still wide-open. Raven rushed to the frame and looked around, but the dragon was nowhere to be found. She glanced back at X who turned and started to search for the dragon, but first he had to be sure Jamie and Otto were safe, "Otto! Jamie!"

Raven sensed the two were held up somewhere on the other side of the house, she grabbed X's wrist and lead him towards the garage where they both noticed the door wasn't just a jarred. The lock was ripped off, a sick feeling in the pit of Raven's stomach lurched as she opened the door and found Jamie and Otto on the ground apparently knocked out. Dropping to her knees besides them both, X sucked in a deep breath trying to control a rising fit while he looked around and scowled, "Shit … he took the bike … are they okay?"

Raven shuttered at the amount of rage built behind his otherwise deadly calm voice … the only one to have ever unsettled her when it came to anger was Robin, but since he was a _'good-guy'. _His level of intensity never rose above wanting to pound someone's face in … where as a criminal like X, his rage went above and beyond to dangerously dark ideas and sadistic logic. Wild, but controlled, Raven faintly wondered just how much it'll take to get him to loose his temper entirely.

Of course … she wasn't going to be first in line to test the limitations.

She looked up at him and nodded, "They'll be okay … nothing bad, he wasn't aiming to kill either of them."

"But he still took my bike, questions are why and where?"

Raven sighed, "Well … it's probably a long shot … but … chances are she's been planning something like this for awhile, Marisa I mean. You know, as a back up plan for when her first plan when array. Remember when I said Slade wasn't behind all this?"

X nodded, "Yeah, but why did you say that? The day you left was the day Slade tried to take my frickin' head off."

"That must have been Marisa, because Slade didn't even know where we went when Dago's men tried to kill you for selling off the Pendent of Infinity. Marisa must have been trying to herd you back to Hawthorne … she just didn't count on me being around."

"But this doesn't explain Milo's fucked up sense of humor!"

"You said he destroyed your house," Raven immediately cut in trying to calm X down by staying on topic, "what else did he do?"

The thief began to pace, "Besides repeating over and over that his name wasn't Milo and acting like someone knocked him over the head or choking him. The bastard just took huge chunks of my place."

Raven frowned and brought a hand up to her neck, remembering when she was being injected with the Elixir, getting the feeling of her head split and loosing all control of reality. Having cleaned herself once she got back to the Tower, the memory of feeling so lost was still present … she looked up at X and gave him a heads up, "… She has him on the Elixir."

"What?" he snapped at her with a pointed look.

Raven glared, "I said, Marisa's controlling Malchior through the Elixir … the spell that was mixed within the chemical … it's a binding curse. Gives the subordinate the feeling of being on a leash … but since it's half chemical and Malchior and I aren't humans our immune system treats it like a virus and attacks it. That's what causes the moment of total mind loss, apart of our existence knows we're being controlled and we instinctively fight it … unleashing our darkest fears and forcing ourselves into a state of paranoia."

X scowled, "Whoever's supplying these psychos gotta stop."

"Right, but for now help me get these two into the house." Raven and X proceeded to carry Jamie and Otto into the house and in one of the rooms. Placing them on the beds, Raven ran to the kitchen to grab any random bowl and clothes and came back to wipe the blood off of their faces and hair. Making sure that there was no real damage done, she glanced at X, noticing that he was writing something in a notebook, he tore out the page and placed it on the nightstand. Raven scanned it and raised a brow when it read:

_Went to see Tessa, give her a call when you wake up._

_Robin _

"Who's Tessa?" Raven asked curiously.

X shrugged, "Somebody." Raven nodded and left it at that, despite the dieing urge to know just how they knew each other. X must have sensed her silent question and sighed, "… She's … kind of my rival in my business … and … um … my … half … sister …"

The world flipped, Raven jerked her head back and stared at X in shock, "You have a sister?"

"My father's previous marriage."

"Older sister?"

"No … younger … it's complicated," X took a deep breath and sighed heavily as if admitting he had a sister was one of the hardest secrets to tell, Raven blinked and shook her head then stood up and wiped her hands on her pants.

"Well … if we're going to see her … then … we better go now."

The thief furrowed his brows and gave her a perplexed look, "You never asked me about my family … aren't you the least bit curious?"

Raven avoided his stare and headed for the door, "Not really … Robin told me how your mother was a former assassin, who married an FBI agent, Jonathan Street …"

"… So … you really did tell Robin my name."

She spun around and immediately denied it, "No … he found it out all on his own."

X shot her a dry look, "Really?"

Raven nodded, and put a hand on her heart lifting her other hand and swearing by it, "Scouts honor."

The thief chuckled and walked up to her, tangling his hand into her violet hair he brought her up to kiss her forehead and whisper, "Hate to tell you this angel, but he bluffed you."

"No," Raven pulled away and glared at him, "Robin wouldn't do that …"

"Did he out right accuse me of being Red X?"

"… No … but –"

"He was bluffing, and you fell for it," X grinned and shook his head, and muttered to himself, "sneaker than I thought."

Raven refused to believe that she was tricked, no way was she that stupid!

There was no way!

Robin would never do something like that … would he? She looked up at X and he shrugged when gestured with a jerk of his head towards the door where he lead both of them out and to the front where her car was. Raven instinctively went to the driver's side, but X beat her to it and held out his hand to her keys. She scrutinized him, then scoffed and pushed him aside, "I don't think so, my car, my keys, I'm driving, just show me the way."

"I'm betting you drive as slow as Leon if and whenever he's in the driver's seat." X smirked.

Raven grabbed the handle, yanked it open and made sure to hit X with the door when he tried to stop her. Sliding into the seat she used her power and fixed the window along with the key mark on the passenger side where X got in and sat with an obvious pout. He glared at her, and Raven rolled her eyes, "Put your seat belt on boy, Titan or not, I still abide by the law."

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me …" X sneered as he reached for the belt and buckled himself in; Raven stuck her keys into the ignition and turned it on. Throwing the car into reverse she pulled out of the driveway with surprising ease and onto the road, X watched her and noticed how comfortable she was behind the wheel. Relaxed, but alert … he nearly laughed when he came to an interesting realization, "You know how to ride."

Raven blinked and had to think for a moment what he meant, then glanced at him and shrugged, "How do you figure?"

"You're confident in your seat," he chuckled, "I'm sure if you had to, you could make this thing turn out all kinds of tricks. Only thing I want to know is where'd you learn it?"

"… Honestly …" Raven sighed and chewed on her lower lip, "… my job requires drastic measures most of the time … so I learn everything as I go. Plus it doesn't hurt to have Cyborg as a driving instructor and … I probably learned most of my hazardous driving from Robin subconsciously, whenever I have to ride with him."

"So it's not that you're scared of speed … it's that you're more comfortable when you're the one behind the wheel."

"I guess, if you want to put it like that."

He nodded, convinced that was it and looked at the road, noticing they were coming close to a certain hidden turn he motioned for her to take a right and she did. Right onto a small stone bridge going over a small creek, a road covered with fallen dead leaves and lushes green trees whose colors brightened within the gloomy gray day. Cozy with a hint of an enigmatic spell cast over the winding curving road, Raven smoothly took the turns even went a little faster just to feel the curves.

X couldn't help the smirk on his face as he leaned back in the leather chair, closed his eyes and chilled, "Just keep on the road and when you spot this funky looking tree, take a left."

Raven blinked and glanced at him, "Define _'funky'._"

"It looks like it's screaming …"

"Right …" Raven complied keeping on the road she kept her eyes out for the screaming tree. A few more minutes of driving in complete and comfortable silence she spotted it to her right, but X said to take a left and she noticed the leaf covered pavement. Raven got on the road and gasped when a gate suddenly jumped out of nowhere!

She stomped on the break and lucky for them they were both wearing their seat belts, otherwise one of them would have eaten the windshield. X grimaced, and glared at out the window, then jerked his head back and tilted his head in confusion, "That wasn't there before …"

Raven sighed and leaned her forehead on the wheel, "Just how long has it been since you've seen your sister?"

"You mean as in visiting?" X shrugged, "Hell if I know … she's a real bitch, hate her."

"…" she gave him a dry look.

He unbuckled himself and got out of the car; Raven stayed put and watched him walk to the black gate. He looked around, observed it, then looked back at Raven and motioned for her to cut the engine and come out. She did and stuffed her keys in her pocket, locked her doors and walked up to the thief who scanned the gate and looked down at her, "No way in … no way to get connected to her … looks like we're gonna have to jump it."

Raven huffed and double checked for him, even if she knew that he was right, she growled and choked down the urge to kick the damn gate in irritation, "This has just went beyond the point of tolerance to down right ridiculous! Why do we need to see your sister anyway!"

The thief shrugged and walked over to the joint where the steel gated met the concrete pillars holding it up. Studying the hinges, he tilted his head then reached into his back pocket. Pulling out what looked like pepper-spray; she watched him carefully and felt her jaw go slack when he sprayed one hinge with some kind of liquid that created mist as it came in contact with the steel. He repeated this process until all the hinges were sprayed and X jumped to the ground, putting his spray back in his pocket; he bent down and from his socks pulled out a .45 black caliber.

He took aim at the hinges and fired, Raven jumped back as the steel shattered like glass and the gate groaned and dropped in a heap. Leaving an opening for them to cross, Raven looked around not quite sure she believed what she was seeing as X put the gun back and hid it under his pants. He looked at her and gestured to the opening, "Let's go."

He took a running start, stomped on the gate, kicked off he pillar and landed on the other side, Raven didn't know whether he was showing off or not, but she levitated off the ground and landed gracefully beside him, "I can fly … you could have just asked."

"Doesn't work that way," he pointed to the pillars, "there are sensors on either side, she would have known, so I had to disconnect it somehow, and what's a better way to say _'Fuck you' _than to break her shit."

Raven rolled her eyes, and looked down the road to notice that just beyond the trees there was a house near by. X began to walk down the road and she followed, curiosity having already chewed off the back of her head, she had to ask, "I don't get it … what happened between the two of you to hate each other so much?"

"We screwed each other over on more than one assignment." He shrugged and looked down at her, "It's more of a professional hatred than blood related animosity … although … I think that's where it stems from. Since she never met Jonathan, she's got that _'I-have-to-know-who-my-father-is' _complex and when she found out he was gunned down, she swore to find out who his killer was. She connected Jonathan to Travis, and then to Lola who she thought was the one to kill her father because of her rep, but, I convinced her otherwise. It never helped the problem anyway. She believes it was Lola's fault that Jonathan left her family and was killed … so … yeah … that's that story."

"Should I feel sorry for you two?" Raven asked honestly, not quite sure what to feel because X was so dry and void of all emotions as he explained that story, she didn't know what to say.

He looked down at her and grinned, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her to him he chuckled, "You don't gotta feel anything."

Just like that, they strolled down the road under the coolness of the gloomy day with the trees shielding them from the cloudy skies and whispering softly as a nice breeze blew through. It was then hat Raven realized she had forgotten her jacket at X's place and shuttered as a chill raced though her body. She tried to hide it as best she could, but X still felt her shutter and pulled her close. It would have been a romantic moment, but romance was far from Raven's mind.

They broke through the trees and stopped just before they entered the driveway of another nice house. It wasn't as big as X's, but it wasn't small either … as a matter of fact, it was just the right size for a large family of maybe four kids. Black and white with what looked like a large pond just in front of the house complete with lily pads, a few cherub statues here and there, Raven looked down into the shallow water and noticed some colorful fish were swimming lazily or just floating around.

Colorful, and playful with a touch of historical class, X lead her to the porch and up to the dual doors, he pressed the doorbell and stood back. His arm finally sliding off Raven, Raven couldn't help to notice how he took a few steps back from the door, keeping her just a little behind him.

They waited patiently for the door to open … and when it did, a little girl about the age of 10 popped her light brown head out, her eyes a crystal grey, and just over her left eye was a silver brow-ring. A black choker around her neck, with a red X dangling off the chain, accompany it were a few other silver chains and spikes, her wrists covered with bracelets and arm bands. Wearing a large over sized t-shirt with the words _'Chaos Child'_ patched on, homemade cuts within the O exposed her tanned skin.

Although, it wouldn't have mattered because the bottom of the over sized shirt was chopped off exposing her midriff and belly ring and the top was cut as well with two straps left holding it together to expos her shoulders. Her ears pierced with chains hanging off them, she blinked and stuffed her thumb into a pocket of her tight low rider jeans and she snorted. Glancing into the house she looked up at X and sighed, speaking, Raven notice that she had a tongue ring.

She pushed the door open and gestured them in, "Tessa's in the kitchen, she's cooking dinner … but I'd be careful, she's working with knives."

"Yeah," X leaned down and kissed her forehead, "how've you been girl?"

She looked up at X and smiled, "Considering the end of the world hasn't come yet, I'm fine," then, she finally noticed Raven and nodded, "who's your girlfriend?"

Raven blinked slowly then introduced herself, "Raven."

The little girl tilted her head and shrugged, "Daniel, everyone else just calls me Danny."

"_Danny!" _somewhere within the house her name was called and Raven guessed it was the kitchen when a girl with a striking resemblance to X marched out wiping a very sharp kitchen knife on a cloth. Her grey eyes glared at Daniel, but widened when she realized she had visitors, in particular her half-brother. Her light brown hair pulled up high in a messy ponytail, standing about Raven's height and looking about the same age; she sneered and twisted the knife so the point was parallel to her elbow, "Robin … what the fuck do you think you're doing in my house?"

Raven blinked, _That voice … it sounds familiar …_

X rolled his eyes, "But the butter knife down Tessa before you hurt yourself."

Tessa gritted her teeth and flipped the knife to hold the blade ready to throw, "You got three seconds to get out of here before I rip you a new hole to breathe out of."

"Take your best shot; you're due for another embarrassment anyway."

Without a second thought Tessa sent the blade flying, X moved to the side, caught the handle of the knife and threw it back, but out of nowhere Tessa whipped out even more knives. She threw one to knock the knife out of the air and threw them all forcing Raven to fly back and stay clear as the knives embedded themselves in the far wall. X had rolled to safety and the little girl named Daniel was suddenly sitting at the base of the steps with a bored look on her otherwise cute face.

Tessa had already prepared a new barrage, but X staying crouched on the ground with his caliber out and aimed right in between her eyes, forcing Tessa to freeze and scowl, "You're bluffing."

He cocked the gun and smirked, "Try me."

"…"

"…"

Daniel sighed and stood up, "Daddy …" Raven looked up and wondered who she was calling because as far as she could tell the only other male in the room was X … and he looked up at Daniel, keeping the gun pointed at Tessa. Daniel frowned, "I think, maybe if you tell Tessa what it is you want then she'd let up … it's been 5 years since you last saw her, ya know."

Raven's brow shot up, _Daddy? _

X turned his attention back on Tessa and the defensive younger thief tilted her head, waiting for an explanation, he gave it, "You've been selling the Elixir haven't you."

Tessa snorted and threw her knife to the ground digging the blade into the wooden floor board, "Fuck you, I steal the shit, not sell it."

X put his gun down, "Convince me otherwise, because the last I checked you were in the trading biz."

"I was undercover you jackass!" she argued, "How many times do I have to say it for you to get it! I was in a jam and –"

"You snitched."

Obsidian challenged each other as Tessa marched up to X and poked his chest, "Don't push me, you're lucky Danny likes you so much otherwise I'd have your head boiling in one of the pots right now … shit!"

Suddenly remembering she was cooking she ran back into the kitchen and X followed her, Raven seeing no other choice followed after him, but looked up at the stairs and found Daniel coming down, then suddenly beside her. Her onyx eyes connected with her violet orbs and the child tilted her head, "You're not human … are you?"

"… Half-demon …" Raven answered honestly, "what are you?"

Daniel grinned, she winked and for a split second she looked exactly like X as she weaved her fingers into Raven's hand and held it, "I'm human of course …"

"Why did you call X – um, Robin – your Dad?"

She shrugged, "Because he's the one who took care of me before he sent me off to live with Tessa … he said that I'd have a better life with her …"

"And do you?"

"… Sort of … but I miss being with Robin … Tessa's cool and all … but … yeah …"

Raven knelt before Daniel and looked her in the eye seriously, "Daniel … do you know what Robin and Tessa do to earn their living?"

"Yep …" Daniel smirked and leaned to Raven as if to whisper a secret, "Robin has taught me how to pick-pocket a crowd and not get caught."

"…" Raven blinked then nodded and half-heartedly agreed with Daniel at how cool that was, but then shook her head then asked, "Daniel … do you know what Robin and Tessa are talking about?"

Daniel nodded, "The Elixir, Tessa did steal the formula a while back from this military station … I forget what the woman's name was who she stole it for …"

"Does a Marisa Van'Gareth ring a bell?"

"Not Van'Gareth … but Witchett, Marisa Witchett."

"… Do you remember if she said why she wanted it?"

"No, Tessa makes sure that her clients don't tell her why they need what she steals, she says the information is a liability."

Raven frowned, _Smart … _sighing she stood up and patted Daniel's head, "Thanks, that's all I needed to know."

"By the way … Raven," the sorceress looked down and Daniel smiled so cutely she looked irresistible, "… I'm sorry for tricking you a while back when Robin made you get rid of your clothes in that black duffle …"

Raven blinked and remembered that night with the little girl up on the stairs of that rundown apartment, and X's story about her being a four year old girl and her mother falling on hard times. He sorceress's eyes darkened as she glared into the kitchen and huffed, _Sneaky bastard … _"Not a problem Daniel …"

They both entered the kitchen, and when they did they found X up against the counter with another kitchen knife to his throat, Raven sweat-dropped, _How many knives does this girl have? _Tessa grabbed a fist full of his shirt and pressed the blade closer to his neck, "Robin … tell me you're joking."

"No, I'm not, you can ask her yourself." He gestured to Raven who stood behind his sister. Tessa let off Robin and turned to stare at Raven with wide eyed nervousness … she gulped and put the knife down on the counter then dusted off her hands.

Raven scrutinized her strange behavior and Tessa chuckled nervously, "Heh … how's your head?"

The sorceress tilted her head, then remembered what happened last night and blinked, "… You were the one that attacked me last night?"

Robin glared at his sister, "You went after her?"

"Not my fault … it was the other guys idea!" Tessa immediately defended, "I swear, he just called and wanted me to shake the witch up a bit then plant the envelop. Said something about hoping she was smart enough to get the message."

Raven frowned, "What message?"

Tessa sneered, "I don't make it a damn habit to ask my clients what goes one in their sick little – shit!"

Backing up, Tessa was experiencing first hand what happens when you cross the demoness, eyes glowing white, a hand up and glowing black with the same knife on X now floating and pointing at Tessa's face. The young thief gulped when Raven's voice pierced her heart and shook her soul, "For your own sake I hope you're not stringing me along … did you know who he was."

Tessa nodded, "Yeah, he was Robin's friend, Milo … and … this might just have been me, but he sounded guilty … you going to get off me now?"

_Malchior sent the note …? He must know what Marisa's planning, he was trying to warn me. _Raven looked up at Robin, "We have to go back to Jump … Marisa doesn't know I'm with you, she's probably sent Malchior on another assignment."

He nodded and rushed passed Tessa, taking Raven's hand he tugged her out of the kitchen, the knife having already fallen to the floor in a harmless clang. Daniel's face fell with it and before X could walk out the house she grabbed his shirt. Robin looked down at her crescent fallen face, "You'll be back … right?"

"… Danny … –"

"Yes … he will," Raven cut in and leaned down to move a strand of her light brown hair behind her ear, her grey eyes staring at her with a watery haze. Raven kissed the top of her head and whispered into her soft hair, "he'll be back … I promise …"

Daniel wrapped her arms around Raven's waist and held on tight, burring her face into her chest, Raven hugged her back and looked up at Tessa. The hard-knock girl's cold black eyes softened a bit and just for Raven to see she mouthed a silent: _'Thank you'_. Raven smoothed back Daniel's long hair, then let her go and joined X's side, the both of them exiting the house and closing the door shut. Leaving Tessa to lean tiredly against the frame of the kitchen entrance, she huffed and growled, "If I had a nickel for every time that bastard brought trouble at my doorstep. Danny, dinners up."

"… Tessa …"

"Hmm?"

Daniel jogged up to Tessa's side, holding her hand she looked up at her and asked seriously "Would you be mad if I wanted to be with Robin instead?"

Tessa blinked slowly then sighed and shrugged, "If it's what you want … but Robin moves around a lot … and he's more mainstream than I am, making his situation far more dangerous than mines. It wouldn't be smart for him to take you in."

"Why?"

"Because than he'd have to put you directly in harms way … Danny, just try to understand, it's not that he doesn't care, he does, a lot more than you know."

"…" Daniel gave Tessa a long hard look, then smirked, "You know … for a sister that hates her brother so much, you just complimented him."

Tessa scoffed and shoved the little girl into the kitchen, "Oh please, don't you get me started on that, because that's a _whole _different story …"

**((--))**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans**

**A/N: Sorry this took so long … blame the underpants gnomes … damn bastards kept me up all night.**

**L8er daez**

**I love you guys so much, your reviews are so awesome it makes me want to dance **_**(dances on the side) **_**I'll try to update a bit faster the next time … underpants gnomes or not, I will get this story finished with **_**(busts out the shot gun)**_** sneaky little bastards, where are ya … **


	18. The Shade of Souls

**-+-A Thousand Shades of Gray-+-**

**+The Shade of Souls+**

"_No matter how we see it, whether it's wrong or right_

_The truth of the matter is, you can't make Black turn White_

_Or turn White into Black, which ever way it goes_

_On either side, there are too many foes_

_But there is hope, I do declare, for I heard somewhere said:_

"Beneath a thousand shades of gray, there is a little bit of red."_"_

_Vermillion_

_Cimple_

"Wha – ! That's my car!" Raven shouted as X beat her to the driver's side mockingly jingling her keys over his head, she scowled, while X laughed lightheartedly at her cute pouting face, "X … this isn't funny, Malchior could be in Jump City right now!"

He tilted his head and in a matter-of-fact kind of tone said, "Then I guess you better get in and buckle up, because I'm driving this time."

Raven held her breath when the urge to argue pulsed in her contemptuous veins, glaring darkly at the thief; she tapped her foot on the ground and crossed her arms over her chest. X just blinked innocently, and in the end, her impatience gave in and she hovered over the car to the passenger-side. All the while muttering to herself how much of a bastard X really was. He acted like he didn't hear a word out of her mouth and hopped into the car, putting the key in the ignition he turned it on, revved the engine and nodded in admiration, hissing, "Nice …"

"Can we go now?" Raven sneered. X shot her a side-glance and smirked and chuckled as he maneuvered the car out and back onto the road … however, much to Raven's discomfort he didn't go back the way they came. In fact, he continued down the road passed the funky looking tree, Raven shot him an odd look, "X … Jump is the other way …"

He shrugged, "I know …"

Raven blinked, "Well … turn around."

"We're not going to Jump."

"… What?"

"We're not going to Jump."

The sorceress narrowed her eyes, "What are you up to …"

X glanced at her suspicious glare and chuckled, "Chill, we're just going to visit another friend of mines."

"X, we don't have time for visits! Who knows what Marisa's got Malchior doing, we have to –"

He smiled, and that smile alone cut Raven off, because this wasn't any smile, X knew what he was doing … he had a plan, "Just, trust me, if we do this right, she'll never know what hit her."

"…" Raven stared at him with uncertainty, but in the end, she figured what choice did she have? She didn't have a plan, but X did, and it was probably better then nothing, however considering his reckless streak, she just hoped he wouldn't do anything too stupid. However, considering this was X she was thinking about, anything he did that she considered stupid was considered genius where he was concerned. Especially when he floored the gas petal and without fear maneuvered through the tight narrow curvy road with the utmost confidence that Raven could never have.

Discreetly she gripped her seats when she glanced at the speedometer and noticed that he was near red line. The sorceress gulped quietly to herself and tried not to stare at the blurred out trees, and sudden tunnel vision that engulfed the windshield because X was going too fast to focus on anything outside of the car. Yet, despite her uneasiness, her heart raced with excitement, that made her chew on her lower lip … maybe she had been exposed to X for _far_ too long, but she suddenly felt restless.

The roar of the engine, the smooth twists and turns that posed no threat to the thrill-junky taking over her car. X chuckled sinisterly, "You're enjoying this aren't you?"

Guilty as charged, but she wasn't about to admit that and give X the chance to tease her about it, opening her mouth to protest the very idea. She immediately silenced herself when the thief suddenly slammed on the brake and turned the wheel till it was locked. The car went spinning like a crazy out of control Bay-Blade; nothing was visible outside of any of the windows because everything was blurred out. Raven held her breath to prevent a rising scream, with her panic level rising higher and higher. She almost couldn't take the g-forces until finally X spun the wheel and they drifted out of the woods and onto a main road.

Raven gulped and gasped, "Why the hell did you do that!"

"Scared ya didn't I?" X glanced at her for a moment, but long enough to see the lost look imprinted on her face, which gave him enough reason to break out laughing, "You should see your face."

"Shut-up," Raven snapped with a childish pout, "I wasn't scared … you just surprised me …"

X scoffed, "Yeah right … but now I know what turns you on."

Raven inwardly turned pale, her eyes bugged out and her cheeks blushed beet-red, but that was all within her, outside she just rolled her eyes and sneered, "You're delusional."

"Says you and my ten other shrinks," X smirked and shook his head, then cruised the open road, giving Raven time to relax the rest of the way to … god knows where.

She raised a curious brow, "You never struck me as the type to go see a shrink."

He scoffed, "I don't, they come to me … Lola insists on it, says it'll help me find some common ground with my inner self. Whatever the hell that's supposed to mean."

"So she thinks you're unstable?"

"Apparently," he shrugged, "What about you? Ever seen a Psych?"

"No, never needed one considering the fact I had a few monks watching over my childhood."

"Monks?"

"It's not what it sounds like; they helped me control my powers since they are activated by my emotions."

He spared her a glance, "So that's the reason for the cold persona?"

She huffed, "It started out that way I guess …"

She trailed when she recognized where they were, frowning, she looked out the window and read the plate with the name of the Estate: _Willow Grove._ Raven blinked, and looked at X, with narrowed skeptical eyes, "X …"

"What?" making note of her worried expression he smirked, "Trust me."

Raven glared out the window to the mansion that was at the end of the driveway X drove up, "That's not what I'm worried about, if Malchior is there, he's probably told Marisa that we've picked up on her scheme."

"Nah."

"X, he's under the influence of the Elixir, everything he knows, she'll most likely know herself."

"Angel," X stopped and parked her car just in front of the mansion, turning to face the sorceress he gave her his best confident grin, "if he's on the side I think he's on, then we really got nothing to worry about."

Raven frowned and glanced out the window, "Well, that's not something I'd gamble on … it's hard to tell with him."

"Hey," called to her attention, she looked back at him and his curious smile, "when all this is said and done … you wanna hang out?"

Sideswiped!

Raven blinked and shook her head as if to be sure she heard right, "Uh … wha? Are you asking me on a … _date_ …?" _Please say no …_

He shrugged nonchalantly, "You said it, not me."

"…" speechless, Raven found her mouth was open to say something, anything, but she couldn't put thought to words. It was so surreal that he had the nerve to ask her something like this, as if he was living in a fantasy world … she had to bring him back to reality and shook her head, "That's not possible … by the time this is all through with … everything falls apart at the semi and we both have to face up to the truth …"

"Okay then, let's say that doesn't happen … and life goes on … would you?"

"I don't believe we're talking about this …" Raven muttered under her breath, but in defeat she sighed heavily and shrugged, figuring that it'll never happen anyway she huffed, "… I guess … I guess I would."

He smiled, "There, you see, that wasn't so bad … now … let's go."

Without further ado he opened the door and got out of the car, Raven watched him walk around the car to the steps. In serious disbelief that he could be so casual about asking for a date with the sorceress of the Teen Titans and then just as quickly turn around and dive head first into what she thought was a _very _bad idea. Raven stepped out after him; slamming her door shut she followed him up the steps of the ancient home and up to the dual doors. Sliding in front of him when he reached to knock as if he was just there on a routine visit, she glared at him and seriously growled, "I have a bad feeling about all this."

He sighed and cupped her face in his hands, Raven stayed leaning against the door, refusing to move … however, she should have known X was a cheater. With out hesitation he kissed her, at first uncharacteristically soft and reassuring, slowly deepening it, keeping Raven's mind solely on him. All the while he reached a hand over her and grabbed one of the knockers on the doors, and banged on it three times. Raven jerked herself from his kiss and stared his grin triumphant face in disbelief, "You …"

He shrugged innocently, "Me …"

Duped, and put out, Raven moved from the door to stand beside the still grinning thief, questioning her own attraction to such a sneaky bastard. She even started to question her sanity when the door opened, no one was there to great them … but it opened and allowed them entrance. Raven shook her head, "I really don't like this."

"You worry too much," X strolled into the mansion without even a second thought, causing Raven to question _his _sanity. Against her better judgment she followed him and entered the mansion, X stopped and glanced around for any signs of life beside the grandfather clock that was tick-tocking away on the side. Raven stood beside him and happened to glance down at the last step of stairs, she did a double take and reached up to tug at the hem of X's shirt, "What?"

She gestured to the last step on the stairs where the Red X suit sat neatly folded with the mask resting innocently on top despite how menacing it looked. X walked up to it, and bent to shuffle through the folded costume. Looking for his belt, he found it and slapped it on himself, Raven raised a brow, "Don't you need the suit to activate the belt?"

He glanced at her and smirked, "Different person, different ideas, I need this thing to work for me under any condition."

"Now that's a crying shame." Raven looked up the stairs; X backed up and out of pure instinct kept Raven behind him, when he saw Marisa leaning against the rail at the top of the stairs grinning down at the both of them. Her jade green eyes glowing in amusement "It would have made identifying who Red X really is much easier … especially since he became a cold blooded killer …"

Confusion swept both Titan and Thief, either of them glanced at one another as if the other knew what was going on, but neither even had an inkling of a clue. X turned back up to glare at Marisa, "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Marisa blinked innocently and brought a finger to the corner of her lips in mock surprise, her once warm and welcoming smile completely gone. Cold-hearted, and arrogant, Raven just couldn't believe that she was the same girl that she had met at the ball the, sure back then she was still stuck up, but this. This was insanity, "Oh … so you don't remember? Just before Leon left for his business trip to Japan … you not only robbed him of his family's treasure … but you murdered him. It's all over the news …"

With a flick of her wrist and a point of her manicured finger she pointed to the parlor and the TV inside turned on attracting both Raven and X's attention when the woman sitting at a shiny desk reported the breaking-news, _"– Multi-billionaire Leon Tyrin Xander was found murdered today in his own home. Police speculate that Mr. Xander was trying to protect his family's treasure, a Baptismal Bowl given to the Xander family by British Royalty worth far more then the entire Hawthorne Garden Estate. Xander was found by his wife with a Red X blade embedded into his chest, it is to believe that the blade had killed him instantly –"_

The TV was shut off, and by the time it all sank in Marisa had sauntered down the stairs to stand at the base, her smirk growing, that devious look in her eyes sparking with a wild flame. Raven and X both spun on their heel and turned to face her when she spoke with a giggle, "Ooo, I love a good mystery involving high profile crimes … makes the police work much harder to find the killer."

The temper that Raven assumed X had under tight lock suddenly turned into a ticking time bomb and being an empath, she shuddered when his rage seeped through his soul and swirled around the room. Why, if it was turned into pure energy alone, Raven was sure that X would be engulfed in his own fireball. Subconsciously she leaned away from him trying not to choke at the amount of animosity that poured from the otherwise nonchalant-thief.

And the scariest part of it was … he was smiling, "You know Marisa, I always thought you were a bitch … I just never knew how fucked up you really are in the head …"

Marisa's grin dropped to a disgusted sneer, a hand came up and Raven blinked at the resounding _SLAP_ that echoed through out the mansion, followed by a very pissed off growl, "You have no right to talk to me like that after the embarrassment you put me through!"

"Embarrassment, HA!" X snapped and laughed in her face, and Raven was pretty damn sure he lost his mind right about now, "I wouldn't even _waste_ my time on a pathetic, desperate little girl like you."

"And to think, I'm still generous enough to give you a second chance," Marisa scowled, but slowly, as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath she smiled and tilted her head. Proving to Raven that she really did have something loose upstairs,"Spare yourself the trouble Robin, and come back to me … I can make this all go away and we can live together like none of it ever happened …"

X scoffed and stifled a chuckle, "Somebody didn't take their meds today."

Marisa turned up her nose and jerked her head back to get her beautiful blonde hair from her face, "Fine then, but you're still mine!"

She brought her hand back as if to slap X again, but this time it was charged with energy, powerful enough to knock X's brains loose. Raven saw her time to intervene and powered up, with a glowing black hand she grabbed Marisa's glowing white wrist before she could strike X. The witch blinked back shock, obviously having forgotten Raven was in the room she stared into Raven's eerie white eyes and gawked when the sorceress growled, "Take the hint, you can't have everything you want."

As hard as she could, Raven pulled Marisa off balance then with her free hand threw a right hook; Marisa stumbled at the power placed behind the punch, but then fell back and dropped to the ground when Raven finished with a left upper cut. X grinned and chuckled, "Remind me to never make you jealous …"

Raven shot the thief a dry look, "I'm not jealous."

"Yeah … _Riiight …_"

The sorceress rolled her eyes and turned her attention back on Marisa when she groaned and propped herself up on her elbows, the corner of her mouth bleeding, she glared viciously at the two then screamed, _"MALCHIOR!"_

"Oh shit," X muttered to himself, but in her head, Raven thought the same thing. Both stood on edge, X looked around, but just when he had the sense enough to turn around, Malchior moved in a blur and before X knew what had happened he was sent flying out the mansion and rolling down the steps.

Tempted to go and help him, Raven suddenly gagged when Marisa shot up from the ground and grabbed her around the throat, the witch's eyes completely blacked out and glared down at her, "What right do you have to even lay a single _finger _on me, let alone on _my_ Robin, you filthy little _whore!_"

Raven wheezed as Marisa squeezed harder, thinking of the only thing that'll get her loose, she reached up and grabbed a hand full of Marisa's hair then gave a good yank practically pulling some strands out. The witch screamed in outage and pain, immediately letting Raven go, to try and get the hand holding her hair to let go. The sorceress caught her breath and pulled Marisa closer then kicked her in the gut hard enough to send her back to the ground.

Raven gasped and massaged her neck, knowing that she'd bruise later she scowled, "The only whore here is you … and Robin isn't yours. Now," while Marisa was still trying to recover from the kick, Raven leaned down and grabbed two fists full of her blouse and yanked her to her feet. With her eyes still glowing white it made her glare far more intense when she demanded, "Where's the counter potion to knock Malchior out of your control, I won't ask again."

Marisa, acting like she was still in a daze, snapped out of it and smirked, "You can't have everything you want."

With a flick of her wrists, she brought her glowing white hands up and shoved Raven off of her with her power alone. Winded, Raven flew into the parlor and into the side of the sofa shoving it out of place slightly. Raven held a hand to her chest when she felt the heat of the energy burn at her flesh. Not hot enough to cause serious damage, but it was there reminding her of just who she was working with.

Marisa snickered, and glanced out her mansion to notice Malchior grab the wrist of one of X's thrown punches. Twirling them around Malchior twisted X's arm and dropped him to the ground, keeping them locked … at least, that's what Marisa saw with just a glance. By the time she looked away, X had slipped from the dragon's hold, back kicked him and ran to gain some room to rethink a different strategy.

The witch sneered down at the sorceress who got back to her feet and hid the pain, "You think you're _it_ don't you? With your nasty hair, pasty skin, and that hideous face of yours … no man in their right mind would even think twice about you. The only reason Robin even puts up with your ugly ass is because you're a Titan … and you know boys and their immature ways, the very idea of being able to score with someone like you is oh-so tempting. So allow me to put you out of your misery …"

Raven took a deep breath and darkened her scowl, "You talk too damn much … _**Azarath! Metrion! Zinthous!"**_

The sofa behind her lifted up off the ground and thrown right over her head targeting Marisa, the witch gasped and brought her hand up, shouting out a quick chant she shattered the sofa in a puff of feathers, cotton, and wood. Nearly whiting out the entire room, making it hard to find Raven, Marisa sensed her too late when she saw something else flying her way. It was the TV, then the coffee table, and a rapid fire attack of crystal decorations.

Dodging all of them, and shattering the crystal decorations when Marisa stood straight up and screamed, "You're destroying my house you little bitch!"

"I missed the part where I gave a damn!"

Marisa wasn't prepared to see Raven swoop down to tackle her to the ground. They both went tumbling, and out of sheer panic Marisa kicked Raven off and the sorceress hit the staircase, slumping down and groaning in pain, Raven rolled to the floor and hissed. Hating Marisa for her discomfort, Raven looked up at said witch and immediately forgot about the pain to jump to her feet when she came at her with a knife. Where she got it, it would forever be a mystery to Raven, but when she took a literal stab at using it, Raven saw the time to end this for good.

Using the rail of the stairs as leverage, Raven jumped and kicked Marisa in the face, but charged it with her power and watched the witch blow out of the mansion. Marisa didn't stop until she hit Raven's car and rolled over the hood to drop on the stoned pavement a plastic case rolling out from her person, officially out of commission. Malchior, while at the time hiding in one of the willow trees, waiting for the right time to strike his target, the unknowing thief that was circling the tree looking for him futilely. The dragon grinned, his fangs gleaming under the small beam of light coming through the vines of the tree; he tensed to deliver the final blow.

However, it was not to be.

His head suddenly went light, and vertigo.

The world spun, and the branch he was on was suddenly gone, and even before he hit the solid grass ground, he blacked out. X jumped at the sudden sound of a body falling in a heap behind him, looking down at the dragon, then glancing up at the high branch he had been perched on. The thief scoffed, "Well … how bout that …"

"_Robin!"_ hearing his name, X debated on whether or not to just leave Malchior laying there unattended and figured that the travel back to the house wasn't that far. So with a conscious he decided to drag the knocked out dragon.

Raven sighed and opened the plastic case, revealing a glass syringe with pink liquid; she took an easy breath and leaned on her dented car. Glancing down at Marisa, real tempted to spit on the crazy bitch for wrecking her ride, she instead settled on scowling, "I don't care how poor you are, you're paying for the damages."

"Oh, _now_ it makes sense," Raven looked up to where the voice came from just to see X practically dragging Malchior towards her. Depositing him on the steps of the mansion, he plopped down right next to him and tried to get the dirt, leaves, and twigs out of his hair, "that … was not fun, _so_ not fun."

"Taking care of your ex wasn't so fun either," Raven scoffed and walked around to them. Ignoring X's sneaky little grin she sat beside Malchior, needle in hand, she pushed up the sleeves of his shirt and without hesitation stabbed the needle into his flesh and delivered the counter potion straight into his system. Afterwards she just tossed it over her shoulder and sat back, "I really cannot believe that all this was about revenge … all because you wouldn't marry her …"

X shrugged, "Eh … people do crazy things …"

"Crazy's putting it lightly, she practically said she owned you and wanted nothing more then to make you her personal boy-toy to do with as she so pleased while leeching off of the money she'd no doubly force you to give up."

"I have that effect on people, I attract the crazy ones … you're not so bad."

Raven picked up a pebble with her power and flung it at the thief's head, not expecting it he winced when it hit him hard, but kept a straight face and sighed, "I'm just glad this is pretty much over with …"

She spoke too soon as a shadow loomed over her and without looking up she already knew who it was, especially when he leaned over her so close that he practically forced her to lay back onto the steps. Yet, despite the uncomfortable step digging into her, arching her back, all she was aware of was their fingers when his clasped them together, how close he was, and that devilish little smirk of his. A chuckled tone to his voice as he whispered, "Let's celebrate …"

"…" he leaned in for a kiss, and guilt took over, she turned away and stared at the stairs, unable to look him in his hypnotic obsidian eyes she gulped, and muttered, "I said, pretty much …"

He pulled away, giving her room to breath and room to scooted up the stairs when he sat below her, scrutinizing her, "So what's the catch?"

"I called Bumble Bee," she was honest, straight out; she couldn't beat around the bush here, because, hell, he was going to find out sooner or later. So having the guts enough to look him dead in the eye when she said it, she just prayed that for once he wasn't able to see through her indifferent mask, "her and her team will be here any minute."

Then, he smiled, "Damn … why'd you have to be such a good girl?"

Raven wasn't exactly expecting such a joking reaction from him, but then again, this was X she was dealing with; he usually did everything unexpected of him … so she responded the best way she thought how. Sarcastically, "Because then a bad boy wouldn't have anything to corrupt."

"Good answer," that smile turned back into that devilish grin and before Raven knew it she was sitting – practically straddling – him. Temptingly he hovered close enough to kiss, but he was waiting for her to make the move. Raven knew he was teasing her, and damn her pride that wouldn't allow for her to move in even if she wanted to, and lord knows she wanted to.

All it took was some building of her courage, and just as she was building up that courage. About ready to swallow her pride, the unthinkable happened … Bumble Bee suddenly appeared, hovering in the sky over them staring at them in utter disbelief. How Raven knew Bumble Bee was there despite her drunken state of being sucked into X's influential aura, the black and yellow clad Titan called her name, "Raven?"

She froze and turned beet red, X snickered and whispered in her ear, "You so look so cute when you blush …"

Trying to swallow her embarrassment, she sneered and glared at the grinning thief, "Bastard." Scrambling off of him she straightened herself out and looked up at Bumble Bee and tried as hard as she could to appear innocent and failing miserably as the black girl touched the ground and crossed her arms over her chest. A brow raised, she shot both her and X suspicions looks, Raven gulped, "Bumble Bee … um … I know this looks bad, but X really wasn't the one behind any of this … it was Marisa."

"Who?"

Raven opened her mouth to respond, but X stood up and took her place, "Marisa, the girl lying passed out next to the car, she had been controlling Malchior over here into using my suit to do all kinds of things and tarnishing my name."

Still lost Bumble Bee shook her head, "Your whaaa … suit? You mean … the Red X suit? _You're_ Red X …?"

"In the flesh."

Bumble Bee gave him a one over, doubt clouding her mind as she raised up a hand to measure his height and give him her opinion, "I imagined you'd be shorter."

"Holy damn …" Speedy gawked when he appeared with the rest of his team at the scene of the crime with a steel-armor bus to take away the bad guys. Having heard what had just transpired, he smirked and glanced at Aqualad, "I told you, didn't I tell you."

"Shut up," Bumble Bee snapped and turned back to X, "So … you're X … you going to put up a fight, or you're going to come quietly?"

X shrugged and held out his wrists, "Go a head, slap the silver bracelets on sheriff, lock me up and throw away the key."

_This is too easy …_ Raven frowned as Bumble Bee approached X cautiously and put his hands behind his back then hooked on the cuffs, facing Raven he winked then followed Bumble Bee as she lead him to the truck. Aqualad took care of Marisa, even though she was knocked out he cuffed her and carried her into the truck right along with X, leaving Speedy to take care of Malchior, working beside Raven he glanced up at her, "So, how long have you been with him?"

Raven blinked out of her suspicion to stare at Speedy with a blank look, "Excuse me?"

"You and X," Speedy cuffed Malchior out of precaution and about to drag him to the truck looked up at her, "how long?"

The sorceress's defenses shot up and she sneered, "None of your business."

"… _Riiight_ …" he smirked and picked up the limp body of the dragon, with the help of two officers one male, one female, with their hats down low enough to hide their faces both took a hold of Malchior and placed him with X and Marisa.

The male sat with the prisoners; while the female closed both the doors and walked to the driver's side, climbing in she started up the truck and saluted the twins, "Buenos tardes, muchachos."

The twins waved her off, and the truck headed off to the station to process the criminals … however … to bad for all of them, the truck would never make it. Inside, Marisa started to stir, head throbbing and everything, she startled herself awake when she felt the cuffs on her wrists and the truck jump when the driver hit a pot hole, "AH! Wha … what the hell! Where am I?!"

"In the back of a prison van."

Following the voice her burry vision cleared and she stared bug-eyed at Robin as Otto dressed in a police uniform uncuffed him, and Malchior who was wide awake and grinning like the Cheshire Cat. He winked down at Marisa and Marisa sat up, "Wha – what's going on?"

Otto shrugged, "Oh nothing, we're all about to die a horrible and terrible death."

"WHAT?!"

"You heard right," Robin smirked, and Marisa was struck with nothing but fear and terror at the sound of his unnaturally happy tone, "The only thing is … _you'll _be the one to never see the light of day ever again."

--

Still at Marisa's mansion helping Bumble Bee and the police clear up a few things with this extremely odd case, involving some high-valued Baptismal Bowl, a chemical Elixir, an inheritance and the Red X suit. Bumble Bee's brow arched and she eyed Raven carefully, after she said everything she thought she needed to say. The leader of the Steel City Titans scrunched her face into a look of doubt, "So … let me get this straight, despite him – Xander, Red X – being one of you guys' biggest villains, you want me to tell the DA to plead him out?"

Raven huffed and smoothed back her tangled violet hair, her violet eyes shinning with nothing but frustration and irritation; she looked up at Bumble Bee and said, "No, I want the DA to give him a light sentence on position of stolen property, the suit, that should be enough punishment. As for Malchior, let him off, the only reason he had anything to do with this was because Marisa put him under the influence of the Elixir, the same drug that I was on."

"Rae, Rae, Rae," Bumble Bee held up a hand to stop the sorceress before she hyperventilated, putting her hands on her shoulder she sighed, "it's not that I'm against you here, I mean, by what I'm seeing and what you're telling me this X guy seems worthy enough for me to be on his side. However … considering who he is, Robin Xander has a record, he's become a repeat offender. There's really nothing I can do for him now, I'm sorry."

"Bumble Bee," Raven weakly tried to reason with the Titans East leader, even knowing full well that she was fighting a loosing battle. She knew the law well enough to know X stood no chance against a jury, and judging by the evidence against him, the Judge might as well post sentencing the moment he walked into the court house.

Bumble bee held up a finger to silence her, when someone called to her attention in the house, "Hold that thought."

Leaving Raven standing in the middle of the driveway, the sorceress huffed tiredly and felt like sitting down on something, but didn't want to contaminate a crime scene. So she settled with massaging the sides of her head to avoid getting a migraine, not even quite sure why she was stressing over this. She just felt like she had to do something, anything to make this right again. She closed her eyes, but even with her eyes closed, it didn't take a psychic to sense Aqualad's approach. His liquid smooth aura reaching out trying to comfort her, Raven looked up at him and his reassuring smile, "Don't beat yourself up too bad … you only did what you had to do."

"Yeah …" she sighed, "and it's never enough."

"Uh … you guys!" Speedy shouted for all the Titans attention, including Raven and Aqaulad, they both looked up at the breathless Speedy who held up his communicator and with four simple words Raven's heart nearly stopped beating, "We got a problem."

Bumble Bee zoomed passed Raven and Aqualad straight to Speedy, "Start talkin' carrot-top what's the problem."

"It's the police van; it got into a freak accident. Passed by a construction sight and one of the steel beams were knocked loose … and … yeah …"

As discreetly as possible Bumble Bee glanced back at Raven who perfectly hid the shock and worry that churned at the pit of her gut when the leader of Titans East asked, "The prisoners … were they all accounted for?"

"…" Speedy, knowing the deal between Raven and X, tried to say in a low enough voice so she wouldn't hear, but Raven wasn't half demonic for nothing, with her heightened senses she heard it, "The prisoners and the guards … according to the officers on the scene … no one survived."

What do you say to that?

Even Bumble Bee was speechless.

Talk about your crazy coincidences …

Aqualad placed a hand on Raven's shoulder when it slumped and she bowed her head to stare at the ground when a sudden chill raced up her spine. No survivors … Raven had a feeling X would pull off a stunt like this … but how the hell does anyone fake being impaled by a steel beam? It seemed impossible … so much so … that there was no way this could have been staged. So now what was she supposed to feel?

Was she supposed to feel numb … because she couldn't even feel Aqualad's hand on her shoulder, neither could she feel the window brushing against her face caressing her hair and bringing it down to shield her now glossy eyes. Numb … cold … emotionless … talk about going back to square one … Raven didn't even have a chance to know who the real Malchior was. Life wasn't fair … and this proved what Raven always knew, she could never have it her way.

--

**2 months later**

--

They say that time heals everything …

That with time everything will all get better …

They say …

Well did _'they'_ ever specifically point out just what _'everything'_ means to _'they'?_

Did _'they' _even know what the hell _'they'_ were talking about when _'they'_ wrote down _'everything'?_

Who the hell is _'they'_ anyway?

What did _'they'_ know about _'everything'_?

_Stop it,_ Raven scolded herself in thought and shook her head, concentrating on her book, she re-read over the same line she went over about ten times already and tried to process the information being shared with her. The book, she tried to reason with herself, was a good book, a _really_ good book, good enough to knock the past right out of her head. So far … it wasn't working … the book couldn't talk back to her, neither could it say stupid things just to get a rise out of her. The book was nothing but a cold unfeeling hard cover with pages, and jumbled letters thrown together to spin elaborate intricate tales of stories long since forgotten.

The book … was just that … a damn book.

_Stop it!_ Raven shouted at herself, and once again almost literally buried her nose in the pages burning holes into said book with her intense gaze determined to focus and understand the story. The sorceress would have no luck, especially when Jinx showed up and found her sitting comfortably at the corner of the couch supposedly reading. Jinx put a hand on her hip and smirked amusingly, "You know, no matter how hard you stare at it, it ain't going to convince anyone around here that you're actually reading that crap."

Raven gave up and marked the page before she slammed it shut and glared at the pink sorceress who sauntered her way with a catty grin on her doll up face, "Who let you in."

More of a demand then a question, Jinx ignored the sharp tone she used and slid on the table to sit before Raven, "Oh, I let myself in. Apparently you were so engrossed in that old thing you never even heard your teammates take off for the Beach Party. Starfire asked you about twenty times, but when you didn't answer Robin pulled her off and they decided that you didn't want to come so they left you here … all by your lonesome … depressing really."

"Beach Party?" Raven arched a brow and sat up, just now taking in Jinx's apparel, a dark pink bikini top with matching bottom, barely covered up with a colorful tie-dye, wrapped around her lower waist and tied at her side in a knot, "I was never told about any Beach Party."

Jinx grinned, and in a sing-song voice said, "Just goes to prove to everyone that you're still moping."

Raven sneered, "I'm not moping."

"Yeahuh, and brown cows produce chocolate milk," Jinx chuckled and jumped off the table, snagging Raven's wrist she pulled the girl up on her feet, "come on, you're going."

"No." Raven pulled her wrist back and glared, "Even if I wanted to go out anywhere, I'm not going to any Beach Party."

Jinx shot her a dry look, "Uh, yes, you are."

"Says who?"

"Robin."

"…" Raven eyes Jinx carefully, "Robin did not say that."

Jinx shrugged, "Suit yourself, you get in trouble because you didn't do as he says, not entirely my problem."

"… Jinx …"

"You don't want to go, so … who am I to force you …"

"_Jinx …"_

"See ya –"

"Fine!" Raven growled and marched to her room, "But when I get down there, I'm going to drown him in the ocean."

Jinx's grin grew as she followed her friend to her room to get dressed for a beach setting. Since Raven wasn't as out going as any of the other Titan girls she chose just a black average bikini top, matching bottom under black trunks that still hugged her figure nicely. Jinx tried to get her into something a little bit more promiscuous, but Raven absolutely refused and thus the girls headed off for the beach.

Tying her violet hair back and up in a high ponytail, allowing for a tendril of violet hair to fall and frame her face. Raven took to the air with Jinx, Jinx pointed to the pier, "Go to the pier first."

Directed, Raven swerved and in no time at all, they were at the pier entrance where people of all shapes and sizes, age, and origin walked in and out. Holding balloons, licking ice-cream to avoid the heat, munching on cotton candy … Raven practically picked everyone out, but what she was missing was her friends. Where were they if this was a beach party? She glanced at Jinx who was taking out her pigtails and smoothing out her hair like she hadn't a care in the world, Raven started to grow suspicious, "Jinx … where is everyone?"

"… Huh?" the pink sorceress blinked, then glanced left and right and smirked, "Oh, they're at the Beach Party, I heard it was a nice movie."

"… What?" Raven blinked and stared at Jinx in utter confusion when the pink sorceress shrugged.

"The Beach Party, it's a movie …"

"Then what the hell are we doing here!"

"I can answer that," Raven spun around and glared at the supposed stranger – _hottie _stranger – with an opened white flannel shirt giving Raven a good look at his toned body and white trunks, he was mouth watering delicious. Especially with that devilishly familiar smirk and autumn brown eyes heightened by the frameless oval shaped transition glasses that darkened under the heat of the sun and dyed black hair spiked neatly in place. Yet, even through the new look … Raven recognized him in a heartbeat … it was impossible to mistake that unique aura of his.

He mouth fell open, and Jinx giggled, "I'll leave you two to catch up, hey Donnie!"

Raven turned on Jinx then followed her line of sight to see this _'Donnie'_ and despite _his _different look, she knew who he was the instant he flashed a peek of his fangs, his long black mane still blowing in the ocean breeze even if it was tied back. Dark shades hiding his now cinnamon brown eyes, and looking as mouth watering as the guy standing behind her, now sliding his strong arms around her. Pulling her against his chest with his hands resting on the flesh of her stomach, just feeling how soft her skin was.

Raven chewed on her lower lip when he breathed down her neck, and kissed it, keeping her head together, she sighed, "You know … going to your burial was no fun at all."

"No, you went to _Robin's_ burial," he corrected with a grin in his tone, "granted he was my real identity … but he can't exactly come back from the dead."

She looked over her shoulder close enough to brush her violet hair against his face, she asked, "So … who are you now?"

"The names Clyde Drake, younger brother to Donnie Drake … but I'm all yours."

"Okay now lovers," _'Donnie'_ with his unchangeable English accent stepped up to the two and slipped off his shades to slide them on top of his head, Raven looked up at him and gulped when he winked, "there's a time and a place for whatever it is you have on the mind. Right now, and right here isn't the right time … besides …" he held out a hand for Raven to take, and without any hesitation she slid her hand into his and held her breath when he kissed the back of her palm, "… I would like to have a proper conversation with my sweet little Raven before she's taken away by my younger _'brother'_."

Jinx chuckled and wrapped her arms around Malchior's arm when he pulled away from Raven, "Ooo, now here's an interesting situation … do I detect old flames burning?"

X held Raven possessively close and rested his chin on top of her head, he chuckled jokingly, "The only thing burning will be Mal's hands if tries anything funny."

"Settle down Romeo," Jinx smirked, "I promise I'll keep Malchior at respectable distance, this is the whole reason why you invited me along on your little double date."

"Mm-hmm," X wrapped an arm around Raven's shoulder and lead her into The Pier.

The Titan, still chewing on her lower lip couldn't stifle a small chuckle as she glanced back up at the Thief, and shook her head in astonishment, "… You are really capable of anything … aren't you?"

"… If you say so."

"So Leon … is he …"

"Nope, after I found out that Mal had something to do with this, I made sure Leon and Lola were vacationing at Miami."

"Everything … everything was planned …"

"Tessa took care of the details, Danny … well … she's actually a 400 year old dragon cursed to a child's body, and she takes care of the media surrounding anything dealing with the people that deal with me. Jerry's the tech, he works all the special effects and anything else needed to help us out with any mission I'm under … so you see … you really had nothing to worry about."

Raven pulled away from him and gave him a dry expressionless face, "It's scary how well you do your _'job'_, frightening … truly frightening."

"Yeah, but admit it," he loomed over her once again teasing her with a kiss that she'll have to take for herself, loving how he tortured her using her own pride. It was so cute to see her hate to love what he did to her, "you like me like that …"

**--**

**END**

**--**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, but I do own the poem, Marisa, Lola, Leon, Jerry, Jamie, Otto , Tessa, and Danny and many more things that you know full well DC don't own but I do, so don't make me come lookin' for you when a law suit lands on my door step.**

**A/N: I AM SOOO SOOORRRRYYY THIS TOOK SO LONG!**

**I really have no excuse this time, I slacked, I couldn't help it damn it, I was enjoying sleeping till noon and staying up till morning and Partying like a frickin' rock star! Nah, that last part was for show, I was enjoying myself, and I'm sorry for that, but believe it or not I was thinking of ideas for new stories or to finish my old ones.**

**You don't have to believe that, but it's the truth and I'm stickin' to it.**

**Anyway, I'm sorry if this ending didn't suit your tastes, and I'm also SOOO SORRY for all the terrible mistakes, I know I can do better, I try to catch as many as I could, but I'm not perfect. PLEASE, please forgive, forgive … I'm bowin' here **_**(bow, bow, bow) **_**I feel bad enough as it is for not updating fast enough, please, please, please forgive me …**

**I love you guys**

**I love you all for faving me and reading this story**

**I REALLY do love you**

**So here's a cyber cookie to thank you**

**OXOX**

**L8er daez**


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